Massa goal clinches win in hard fought contest

Updated: Nov 7

Season 1969-70

Game 8, Serie A

Sunday, November 9, 1969

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Vicenza 1-0

An evenly balanced game is decided by Massa on the brink of halftime

The season so far

Lazio were newly promoted after a year in the purgatory of Serie B. They had won the championship and promotion under Juan Carlos Lorenzo. He had only been allowed to sit on the bench from March 30 as foreigners were not officially allowed to be managers, so until he obtained his passport, Roberto Lovati had carried out the Sunday afternoon dug out duties.

This year officially the manager was Bob Lovati and the Technical Director was Juan Carlos Lorenzo. The more important changes had been made to the squad. Lazio had brought in some players who would prove to change the entire club's history.

An unknown young forward called Giorgio Chinaglia was signed from third division Internapoli. Also, from the Neapolitan club arrived defender Giuseppe Wilson. Both players had British connections since Chinaglia grew up in South-Wales while Wilson was born in Darlington to an English father and Neapolitan mother. These two facts would later be one of the reasons for myself becoming a lifelong Lazio fan.

Along with the two "Brits" Lazio had added other players: defender and local lad Giancarlo Oddi (Sora-back from loan), defender Giuseppe Papadopulo (Livorno), goalkeeper Michelangelo Sulfaro (Sambenedettese) plus, in the autumn session, defender Luigi Polentes (Perugia) and above all, midfielder Franco Nanni (Trapani). Four of these players, Chinaglia, Wilson, Oddi and Nanni would play key roles some years later in Lazio's Scudetto winning team.

The main players leaving were defenders Pietro Fontana (Ternana), Guido Onor (Juventus-end of loan) and above all Diego Zanetti (Vicenza- after 248 league games for Lazio), midfielder Elio Rinero (Juventus- end of loan) plus, in the autumn, forward Arrigo Dolso (Monza-on loan) and defender Pietro Adorni (Piacenza).

The season had started in August, in Coppa Italia. Lazio were eliminated after losing to Perugia 0-1 away, drawing with Ternana 0-0 away and losing the derby (Roma were awarded a 2-0 victory as there was a blackout in the 87th minute and, as the host team, it was deemed Lazio’s responsibility, to be fair Roma were winning 1-0 at the time).

In Serie A Lazio had won 3, drawn 1 and lost 3 (including the derby). The derby had been the previous week and dampened Lazio’s decent start. However, Lazio had 7 points in the table.

Vicenza had 9 points from four wins. So, two similar teams today but Lazio keen to get the disappointment of the derby defeat behind them. It would not be easy against a team who had beaten Juventus a couple of weeks earlier and came from two consecutive wins.

The match

Serie A returned after the break for the 1970 World Cup qualifiers. It had been raining for days in Rome and quite hard in the morning, but it stopped in time for the game. Romans do not have a good relationship with the rain and there were 25,000 spectators at the Olimpico.

Lazio were without midfielder Piero Cucchi due to last minute illness while Vicenza had their usual line-up.

The early stages were immediately lively with end-to-end action. Vicenza had the first chance with a free kick by specialist Sidney Cinesinho but Michelangelo Sulfaro dived low and stopped it. Lazio replied with a dangerous Gian Piero Ghio cross but a brave jump by keeper Pietro Pianta just anticipated Giuliano Fortunato. The keeper would later pay for his heroics.

Vicenza were slightly on top and had a strong Alessandro Vitali header saved by Sulfaro and another Cinesinho curling freekick parried by Sulfaro. Cinesinho especially was causing Lazio problems and just before halftime he came out worse for wear in a 'tackle' with Giorgio Chinaglia.

Due to a series of interruptions for injuries the referee gave an unusually long added on time, three minutes. In this short spell Lazio struck. A one-two between Nello Governato and Giuseppe Massa allowed the Neapolitan to enter the area and he then beat Pianta with a low diagonal shot. Lazio 1 Vicenza 0.

A balanced and entertaining game so far decided by Massa in the dying minutes.

For the second half Pianta was unable to continue after his initial injury and was replaced by Adriano Bardin. The game restarted with Vicenza on the attack but they exposed themselves time and time again to Lazio’s counterattacks. Chinaglia and Fortunato missed several opportunities to double Lazio’s lead.

In the 72nd minute the Biancorossi visitors had a huge chance to level the score. Vitali got away from his marker Pino Wilson and let off a cracking left foot which left the post shaking for a while.

After the woodwork scare, Lazio had several more near misses; Chinaglia shaved the post with a low shot, Pianta saved a thundering Juan Carlos Morrone effort and Ghio was just anticipated by the substitute keeper rushing off his line. Final score Lazio 1 Vicenza 0.

A good win for Lazio against a hard fighting and competitive Vicenza. Lazio had deserved the two points for opportunities created but the "Lane" played well and had they earned a point it would not have been without merit.

Who played for Lazio

Sulfaro, Papadopulo, Facco, Governato, Wilson, Marchesi, Massa, Fortunato, Chinaglia, Ghio, Morrone