Games 38, Serie B
Sunday, June 21, 1987
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Vicenza 1-0
In a match that looked jinxed, Fiorini manages to score with 7 minutes to go and throws a lifeline to Lazio who now will have to face Taranto and Campobasso in a play off to avoid relegation
Lazio was forced to start the season with a nine point deficit and the start was terrible. Lazio drew the first game away at Parma but lost a home to Messina. This basically meant that the burden was as if it was -11.
After the catastrophic beginning Lazio started to win and reduce the handicap but towards May however they started to tire. Being under constant pressure was taking its toll. Four losses, two draws and just one win meant that with one match to go Cagliari were already in Serie C, Lazio and Taranto were on 31 points, Campobasso, Sambenedettese, Vicenza and Catania on 32. Last games of the season Bari-Sambenedettese, Messina-Campobasso, Taranto-Genoa, Cesena-Catania, Lazio-Vicenza.
Even a win may not be enough.
The match
The game meant life or death for Lazio and the fans filled the Stadio Olimpico a long time before the beginning. When the players came out two hours before the start, they could not believe their eyes. The Olimpico was packed. Everybody that could brought with them a flag or a scarf and the Stadium was all white and light blue.
In the first half Lazio went forward head down and Vicenza had difficulty in coming out of their half. Domenico Caso had a chance before Ennio Dal Bianco started his personal match. The Vicenza goalkeeper was in a state of grace. There was a free kick for Lazio, Gabriele Podavini gave the ball a big whack but Dal Bianco parried. Shortly after, in the 8th minute, Giuliano Fiorini’s shot went just out.
Dal Bianco saved again on a Paolo Mandelli shot. In the subsequent corner this time it was Angelo Gregucci with a header but the Vicenza goalkeeper was miraculous. Caso from the left crossed the ball into the box and Giorgio Magnocavallo headed the ball towards the goal, again saved by Dal Bianco. A Podavini shot from 25 metres saw the goalkeeper again parry into corner.
The game looked jinxed. Lazio put in everything they had in the first half but were extremely unlucky. Vicenza did what they could and played as dirty as possible.
News from the other games was not good. Sambenedettese were winning, Messina-Campobasso was still goalless, Taranto were ahead, Catania were losing. As a consequence, Catania had 31 points, Lazio were on 32, Taranto, Campobasso and Vicenza 33, Sambenedettese 34. If it finished like this, Lazio and Catania would go down to Serie C and there would be a playoff between Taranto, Campobasso and Vicenza to determine the final team to go down.
In the interval Lazio substituted Magnocavallo with Fabio Poli and early in second half Vincenzo Esposito came on for Gabriele Pin. Lazio continued to attack. Podavini crossed into the box for a Mandelli header, another miracle from Dal Bianco who repeated himself shortly afterwards on another Podavini shot.
In the 67th minute umpteenth Vicenza foul and Danio Montani was sent off for a second yellow card.
In the 79th minute, Podavini on the right crossed, Mandelli headed towards the goal but it was well wide, Antonio Acerbis from the left crossed in again low, the Vicenza defence cleared but ball to Esposito, his shot was blocked by the defence, setting up another possible shot. Mandelli tried again, too high.
In the 83rd minute, Acerbis with a throw-in, ball to Poli back to Acerbis, cross into the box cleared by the defence. Esposito to Podavini on the right who tried the 200th shot of the day. He miskicked it and it became a low cross. Fiorini got the ball, turned round and shot. Goallllllllllll!!!!!!!!
Delirium!!! Tears of relief, people literally felt ill and collapsed. Medics were called. Legend has it that people on the nearby bridge over the Tiber felt the earth tremble. Neutral commentators suddenly became hardcore fans and burst into tears. Vicenza did not have anything left and the game finished 1-0 for Lazio.
Final verdict: Vicenza, Catania and Cagliari in Serie C, Lazio, Campobasso and Taranto to the playoff. It was not over yet.
Who played for Lazio
Terraneo, Filisetti, Acerbis, Podavini, Gregucci, Camolese, Mandelli, Caso, Magnocavallo (46’ Poli), Pin (51’ Esposito), Fiorini
Manager: Fascetti
Who played for Vicenza
Dal Bianco, Zoppellaro, Montani, Zanotto, Bertozzi, Mazzeni, Savino, Fortunato, Lucchetti, Nicolini, Rondon (63' Carotti)
Substitutes: Mattiazzo, De Biasi, Pallavicini
Manager: Magni
Referee: D’Elia
Goal: 83’ Fiorini
Sources
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