Game 37, Serie B
Sunday, June 6, 1982
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Varese 3-2
Thanks to a D’Amico hat trick Lazio avoid relegation worries
With two games left to the end of the season, Lazio were just three points clear of relegation. Varese, on the other hand, had had a splendid year and were just one point away from promotion to Serie A. A very difficult match for Lazio.
The match
Despite it being the last home game of the season, the Olimpico was virtually empty. A bad year that all fans wanted to forget.
Varese started very well and scored in the 6th minute. Franco Salvadè whizzed down the left wing and crossed into the box, Ennio Mastalli could not connect but Franco Turchetta did, 1-0 for Varese.
After a probable penalty on Vincenzo D’Amico (who was forced to leave the pitch for three minutes) ignored by the referee, in the 14th minute Varese doubled. Vincenzo Di Giovanni passed the ball to Gabriele Bongiorni who, back to the goal, managed to turn around despite being surrounded by Lazio defenders, and put the ball past Maurizio Moscatelli.
Lazio were playing dismally and Varese could have easily scored another if they had wanted, but the Lombard team, satisfied with the double advantage, stopped playing. The Biancocelesti were almost forced to do something. In the 26th minute Claudio Vagheggi to Leonardo Surro who in the box was fouled by Bongiorni. Penalty for Lazio taken by D’Amico with a big central whack. Two minutes later the Lazio Golden Boy was fouled on the far right near the penalty box. Everybody was expecting a cross, which would have been the more logical thing to do, but D’Amico shot around the wall onto the front post and scored. 2-2 and Lazio back into the game.
Varese could not believe it. The Biancocelesti were dead and buried but now they had to start all over again. They attacked but not as clinically as in the first minutes of the game. Lazio seemed content with having equalised but in the 48th minute Vincenzo Chiarenza hit the woodwork and in the 73rd there was another penalty for the Biancocelesti. Free kick on the right, Chiarenza crossed the ball into the box and Alberto Bigon was pushed from behind as he was about to head the ball. For Agnolin it was a penalty and D’Amico scored the spot kick for his and Lazio’s third.
Varese attacked but they had lost their nerve and so Lazio earned two vital points and were mathematically safe. Varese would now need a miracle to get promoted.
Who played for Lazio
Moscatelli, Spinozzi, Chiarenza, Pochesci, Pighin, Sanguin, Vagheggi, Badiani, D’Amico, De Nadai, Surro (62’ Bigon)
Manager: Clagluna
Who played for Varese
Rampulla, G.Vincenzi, Salvadè (78' Palano), Strappa, Limido, Cerantola, Di Giovanni, Mauti (32' Scaglia), Mastalli, Bongiorni, Turchetta
Substitutes: Zunico, Fraschetti, Zubiani
Manager: Fascetti
Referee: Agnolin
Goals: 6’ Turchetta, 14’ Bongiorno, 26 D’Amico (pen), 28’ D’Amico, 73 D’Amico (pen)
Sources
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