Lazio win easily
Unstoppable Raffo and Consiglio close the game in the first half
Also on this day: March 14, 2001, Leeds Lazio 3-3, Champions League. Both teams had weakened sides but it turned out to be a six-goal, entertaining game. Player of the day: Francesco Colonnese
The season so far
The Italian 1919-1920 championship was divided into two main groups: North and Centre-South. The North was subsequently divided into a further 8 groups and the Centre-South into three. It was basically local teams battling it out amongst each other. The first two teams were then divided into a further two groups for the inter-regional semi-finals, with the winners of the groups clashing in an interregional final. The two inter-regional winners then met for the Championship final.
Lazio was obviously in the Rome group and played with another 6 Rome based teams. There was no money and Lazio could do little as far as reinforcements were concerned.
Lazio played quite well but, in the end, were third in the mini group made up of Rome based teams. Despite winning most of the matches against the teams that eventually came behind, Lazio only took one point in the four games against Fortitudo and Audace who took the first two places in the group and proceeded to the semi-final stage.
The game against US Romana was the last match of the season, a replay of the game that should have been played on February 15 1920. The postponement was due to the fact that the referee had not turned up!!!!
The match: Sunday, March 14, 1920, Campo della Rondinella, Rome
This game had become more of a friendly due to the fact that all the placements for the Campionato Nazionale Lazio Group had been decided.
In the beginning it was Romana that attacked more and put pressure on the Lazio defence. But the Biancocelesti reorganised themselves and started gaining control of the match. The attacking duo Mario Raffo – Marcello Consiglio were unstoppable and put their opponents in great difficulty. Lazio scored in the 23rd minute thanks to a Raffo incursion and a splendid touch that beat the Romana goalkeeper. Sixteen minutes later Raffo scored again and two minutes before the end of the first half Consiglio made it three after a wonderful one-two with Giuseppe Fioranti.
Romana in the second half tried to reopen the game, but Lazio’s defence held off all of the attacks and despite a few scares brought the result home.
Who played for Lazio
Bernardini, Saraceni I, Bona, Orazi, Fioranti, Baldacci, Varini, Maranghi, Consiglio, Raffo, Setti
Manager: Guido Baccani
Who played for U.S. Romana
There is no news on the XI that played this game.
Goals: 23’ Raffo, 39’ Raffo, 43’ Consiglio
Lazio 1919-20
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
National Championship | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
Canalini Tournament | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 7 |
Christmas Cup | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 6 |
Lazio Tournament | 2 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Total | 19 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 41 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | National Championship | Canalini | Christmas | Lazio |
Consiglio | 19 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Maranghi | 19 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Varini | 19 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Bernardini | 18 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Raffo | 17 | 12 | 3 | - | 2 |
Saraceni I | 17 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Orazi I | 17 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Top five Goal Scorers
Player | Total | National Championship | Canalini | Christmas | Lazio |
Consiglio | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Maranghi | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Raffo | 5 | 3 | 1 | - | 1 |
Varini | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - |
Fioranti | 4 | - | - | 1 | 3 |
Let’s talk about: Mario Raffo
Mario Raffo was born in Rome on January 20, 1894. He started playing in Lazio's youth teams and debuted in the first team in 1912. He was part of the legendary squad that twice reached the national finals against Pro Vercelli and Casale. In 1914 he played for the reserves but a year later, during the first World War, he became one of the most important players and was part of the team that played a few unofficial games, helping to keep sport alive in the eternal city. He was certainly on the pitch on December 22 1916 for the Coppa di Natale played against Juventus Romana which ended 4-1 for the Biancocelesti and he scored two goals. In 1919 he won the Alberto Canalini tournament and was the first choice left winger for Lazio until 1921 when he abandoned active sport and started working for the club.
He was not very tall, 1.67 metres, but he was a quality player and a great winger. Not much else is known about him.
In total, he made 57 appearances with 17 goals for Lazio, but there were probably more games and more goals.
Lazio Career
Season | Total games (goals) | Roman 3rd Category | National Champ. | Roman 2nd Category | Roman 1st Category | Other |
1911-12 | 2 (1) | 1 (1) | - | - | 1 | |
1912-13 | 1 (1) | - | 1 (1) | - | - | |
1913-14 | 8 (1) | - | 4 | - | 4 (1) | |
1914-15 | 4 | - | 3 | - | 1 | |
1915-16 | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | |
1916-17 | 6 (2) | - | - | - | 2 | 4 (2) |
1917-18 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
1919-20 | 17 (5) | - | 12 (3) | - | - | 5 (2) |
1920-21 | 16 (7) | - | 16 (7) | - | - | - |
Total | 57 (17) | 1 (1) | 36 (11) | 2 | 2 | 16 (5) |
Sources
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