Norwegian rainmen clinch win for Lazio

Season 1952-53

Game 21, Serie A

Sunday, February 15, 1953

Stadio Torino, Rome

Lazio-SPAL 3-1

On a waterlogged pitch two goals by Scandinavians and one by Puccinelli win water battle for the Romans

So far, Lazio were not quite repeating their previous seasons. The Biancocelesti were however currently in a decent 7th position, on 22 points. They had won 9 (including derby 1-0), drawn 4 and lost 7. They came from two consecutive defeats.

SPAL were currently in 15th place, on 15 points just one above Palermo and Novara on 14 in the last relegation slot, with Como bottom on 12. They had won 3 (including Lazio 1-0), drawn 9 (including Juventus 2-2 at home and Milan 1-1 at home) and lost 8.

Lazio were favourites today but SPAL were fighting for their lives and had shown some improvement recently.

The match

It had been raining almost non-stop for 24 hours and the pitch was extremely heavy, just about playable. The crowd was sparse, about 5,000.

Lazio had two important absences, midfielder Romolo Alzani who had broken his hand during the week and forward Lelio Antoniotti.

SPAL were without midfielder Goffredo Colombi.

The first half was all in the first three minutes. In the 2nd Lazio went in front, Candiano Barranco missed the ball completely allowing Norwegian Ragnar Larsen to beat Ottavio Bugatti, 1-0. A minute later however, the Estensi equalised when Sergio Sega found himself unmarked after a prolonged and chaotic piece of play in the Lazio area and put the ball past Lucidio Sentimenti IV. Lazio 1 SPAL 1.

After such an eventful start not much happened for the rest of the half. SPAL were well organised and in some spells looked more threatening than Lazio albeit without creating any real chances. Halftime 1-1.

The game had started with a bang but then gone flat. The conditions however were awful and the more technical players were in clear difficulty.

The second half saw Lazio attack more and the SPAL keeper Bugatti made several good saves to keep the score level.

The visitors however also had a huge chance when Marcello Castoldi hit the crossbar and the next thing the Lazio keeper Sentimenti IV knew the ball was safely in his arms without realising what had happened. 

The rain intensified and the game became a physical battle in extreme conditions.

Lazio came out victorious and scored two late goals. In the 87th minute Primo Sentimenti V fed Per Bredesen at the edge of the box and the Norwegian hit a diagonal shot which came off the post and nestled itself into the goal, 2-1. Three minutes later, in the 90th minute, a perfect assist by Emilio Caprile set up Aldo Puccinelli in the heart of the area and the Tuscan striker closed the game. Lazio 3 SPAL 1 and final score.

A strange game but in awful meteorological conditions. Fireworks to start and finish and with a lot of confusion, sliding and slipping in between.

The soaked fans were happy though. Lazio had won, helped by two Scandinavians who were most likely very used to muddy pitches.

Lazio shot up to 5th on 24 points. SPAL were now joint 15th with Novara and Sampdoria (three teams tied in the second relegation slot), things were not looking good for the Biancazzurri from Ferrara.

Who played for Lazio

Sentimenti IV, Sentimenti V, Furiassi, Fuin, Malacarne, Bergamo, Puccinelli, Bredesen, Bettolini, Larsen, Caprile

Manager: Bigogno

Who played for SPAL

Bugatti, Pellicari, Dell'Innocenti, Barranco, Bernardin, Castoldi, Busnelli, Mussino, Sega, Bennike, Fontanesi

Manager: Janni

Referee: Marchetti

Goals: 2' Larsen, 3' Sega, 87' Bredesen, 90' Puccinelli

Sources

Lazio Wiki