Game 31, Serie A
Sunday, May 9, 1954
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Triestina 5-1
After initial balance Lazio dominate and cruise to easy win
Lazio were currently in 13th position, on 25 points, four points above the drop zone.
A delicate game today with neither team wanting to get drawn into the heat of the relegation battle.
The match
A humid, overcast day saw about 20,000 spectators present.
The first twenty minutes were pretty eventless. Triestina were cautious and Lazio showed no urgency to score.
In the 20th minute however, the Biancocelesti went in front. Alberto Fontanesi received the ball outside the box centrally, he hit it first time and put a great shot into the top left-hand corner. Lazio 1 Triestina 0.
The visitors responded and attacked more. They put the Biancocelesti under pressure with a dangerous Aldo Dorigo cross and one by Gianfranco Ganzer, tipped into corner by the keeper Aldo De Fazio. The Alabardati insisted and in the 32nd minute equalised. A prolonged move was finally finished off by Dorigo heading in from a Giuseppe Secchi shot. Lazio 1 Triestina 1.
The level score line only lasted five minutes as in the 37th the Biancocelesti scored again. Renzo Burini floated a free kick into the area where Pasquale Vivolo picked it up and after taking it forward blasted it past Antonio Nuciari. Lazio 2 Triestina 1.
The visitors' heads dropped and they literally disappeared from the contest. Lazio went into halftime 2-1 up.
In the second half the Biancocelesti dominated. After one minute they scored their third of the afternoon. A Per Bredesen-Fontanesi one-two then saw the Norwegian tee up Sigvard Lofgren who burst through and beat Nuciari with a low finish. Lazio 3 Triestina 1.
The game looked over and Lazio were in complete control. In the 53rd minute they struck again. Burini was tripped in the area by Valente and took the penalty himself, making it 4-1 with a low angled spot kick.
In the 76th minute Lazio definitely closed the game when Burini set up Fontanesi who, helped by a slight deflection by Renato Valente, beat Nuciari again. Final score Lazio 5 Triestina 1.
An ultimately easy win for Lazio as the game had only been balanced for about 37 minutes. Once Lazio got their second there was no way back for the "Muli" (The Mules). Lazio were now joint 10th with Atalanta and Genoa on 27 points and five above Legnano in 17th (out of 18, with two going down). They were not arithmetically safe but with seven teams behind they were all but home and dry.
Triestina were now 14th with only a two-point advantage on Legnano. They would have to fight harder than today if they were to stay up.
Who played for Lazio
De Fazio, Antonazzi, Di Veroli, Fuin, Spurio, Bergamo, Burini, Bredesen, Vivolo, Lofgren, Fontanesi I
Manager: Allasio
Who played for Triestina
Nuciari, Maldini, Valenti, Petagna I, Travaglini, Ganzer, Lucentini, Curti, Secchi, Dorigo, Rossetti
Manager: Feruglio
Referee: Corallo
Goals: 20' Fontanesi, 32' Dorigo, 37' Vivolo, 46' Lofgren, 53' Burini (pen), 76' Valenti (og)
Sources
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