Lazio-Varese 2-0

Season 1974-75

Game 26, Serie A

Sunday, April 13, 1975

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Varese 2-0

Lazio get back to winning ways and dedicate the victory to their absent manager

The league had started well and Lazio won their first three games. They then slowed down a bit with 3 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats (derby 0-1 and Inter 1-2 at home). Then Lazio had won the big match against Juventus followed by a draw in Florence and a big 3-0 win against Milan and were only one point behind leaders Juventus. Since then however, things had deteriorated with only 3 wins, 4 draws and 4 defeats. Just before the most recent defeat, 1-5 against Torino, the players had been informed Maestrelli had cancer and literally played with tears in their eyes. Lazio were currently in 5th place on 30 points, 6 points behind leaders Juventus. The "Maestro's" place on the bench was temporarily taken by Roberto "Bob" Lovati.

Lazio had to win today, despite their difficult psychological state, to try to get their season back on track. For Varese it was possibly one of the last chances to give themselves some hope of staying up.

The match: Sunday, April 13, 1975, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

A lovely and sunny April day saw about 35,000 spectators turn up at the Olimpico.

Lazio had no injury problems or suspensions while Varese only had midfielder Enrico Prato unavailable.

Lazio attacked from the start. The Biancocelesti had two huge chances in the 13th and 20th minutes but Renzo Garlaschelli missed a them both.

In the 17th minute the visitors had been forced to replace an injured Walter De Vecchi with Carlo Tresoldi.

In the 21st and 24th minutes the Biancocelesti had two penalty appeals. First Garlaschelli was pushed over and then Giorgio Chinaglia was hacked down by Ambrogio Borghi. The referee gestured to play on.

In the 30th minute Lazio too were obliged to make a change as Mario Frustalupi could not continue and Franco Nanni came on.

In the 32nd minute the Varese keeper missed a high catch but Chinaglia's free header came back off the post.

Despite this mistake Leopoldo Fabris was playing well and foiled several more Lazio attempts.

In the 35th minute Lazio were finally awarded a penalty. Giuseppe Wilson was surrounded by three defenders and went down, Barboni pointed to the penalty spot much to the anger of the Varesini who claimed the Anglo-Italian had dived. Chinaglia stepped up and sent Fabris the wrong way. Lazio 1 Varese 0.

The second half the situation did not change. Lazio constantly forward trying to close the game and Varese hoping for the occasional counter attack.

Varese's only threat came in the 85th minute and they even scored with Giorgio Valmassoi but the referee disallowed it for a foul by Giacomo Libera on Luigi Polentes.

The scare stimulated Lazio who scored three minutes later. Vincenzo D'Amico, by far the best player on the field, dribbled past four defenders and crossed from the by-line, Giulio Zignoli in an attempt to anticipate the Lazio forwards then turned the ball into his own net. Lazio 2 Varese 0. Game over.

A fully deserved victory for Lazio even if it was not certain until the dying minutes. The Biancocelesti had easily been the better team and could dedicate the win to "Il Maestro" lying in a hospital bed.

Lazio were now joint 3rd with Roma and Torino on 32 points. The Giallorossi and Granata had both drawn as had Juventus who were now five points above the Biancocelesti.

Varese were now five points from safety as Sampdoria had conquered a point away at Torino. With only five games to go the Lombards seemed doomed.

Who played for Lazio

Pulici, Polentes, Martini, Wilson, Oddi, Badiani, Garlaschelli, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi (30' Nanni), D'Amico