Two more points for promotion hopes
Chinaglia and Abbondanza secure Lazio victory over tough Arezzo
Also on this day: March 26, 1922, Lazio Pro Roma 6-1. Lazio finally manage to score heavily now that Bernardini is placed at the centre of the attack. Lazio Legend of the day: Dante Filippi
The season so far
The disastrous 1970-71 season had culminated in a relegation to Serie B for the Biancocelesti. It was a devastating and unexpected fall for the club so President Umberto Lenzini, on a suggestion from Sports Director Antonio Sbardella, chose a young manager called Tommaso Maestrelli who had done well in Serie C and Serie B with Reggina and Foggia.
The first problem the club had to face was the fact that Giorgio Chinaglia demanded to be sold. He refused to play in Serie B and was not entirely happy with the change of management. Maestrelli convinced him to stay.
Two fundamental future players joined Lazio in the summer transfer window. Luigi Martini, from Livorno, and Giancarlo Oddi returning from his loan spell at Massese. Lazio also signed goalkeeper Claudio Bandoni. Rino Marchesi, Nello Governato and Giancarlo Morrone left Lazio as free agents as well as Ferruccio Mazzola and Michelangelo Sulfaro on loan to Fiorentina.
In the November transfer window Lazio signed Carlo Facchin and Giambattista Moschino, returning after nine years, plus Alessandro Abbondanza on loan from Napoli with Pierpaolo Manservisi going in the opposite direction. Arrigo Dolso also left (on loan to Varese).
In August, Lazio managed to top their group in the first phase of the Coppa Italia. The first match of the season was the derby, which Lazio won 1-0 with a Chinaglia goal and at least four miraculous saves from Bandoni.
Lazio started the Serie B campaign slowly, losing the first two games away from home, but from the 6th match onwards things improved and by the end of the first half of the season Lazio were third, just one point off leaders Palermo and Ternana and with a two point cushion over fourth place. The Biancocelesti were not really playing very well but at least they were in the promotion zone.
The beginning of the second half of the season was shaky with three draws and two defeats. Lazio had lost the third spot and the front runners were quite a way ahead. In the game before today’s match however,Lazio had beaten Sorrento at home and were now tied third with Reggiana, five points behind Palermo and Ternana.
A win would be very, very, useful.
The match: Sunday, March 26, 1972, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A difficult game for the Biancocelesti without Carlo Facchin and Moschino against a team that basically built a wall in front of its goal. Lazio had problems in trying to knock down the wall, even though they did score fairly early on.
In the 21st minute, Chinaglia, who had just missed a colossal chance a few minutes earlier after a Mario Facco assist, got the ball, ran through the Arezzo defence like a battering ram and whacked the ball into the net. Nothing else happened in the first half with the exception of two probable penalties for fouls on Giuseppe Massa and Chinaglia ignored by the referee.
Lazio were tired and in the second half they started retreating. Arezzo however took too long to throw on another forward and, with the exception of an Elio Parolini header, never gave Bandoni any cause for alarm.
In the 89th minute Abbondanza, just inside the box, scored with a powerful left foot kick to close the game 2-0.
Vital win for Lazio.
Who played for Lazio
Bandoni, Facco, Papadopulo, Wilson, Polentes, Martini, Massa, Nanni, Chinaglia (79’ Gritti), Abbondanza, Fortunato.
Substitutes: Di Vincenzo
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Arezzo
Candussi, V.Bertini, Vergani, Beatrice, Tonani, Parolini, Bianchini (64' Galuppi), Camozzi, Barlassina, Quadalti, Incerti.
Substitutes: Grandini.
Manager: Ballacci.
Referee: Branzoni
Goals: 21' Chinaglia, 89' Abbondanza
What happened next
The fight for promotion in Serie A involved six teams: Lazio, Ternana, Palermo, Reggiana, Como, and Cesena. They fought right to the bitter end but the first three teams shared the promotion spots for most of the season. With one match to the end of the season Lazio needed a draw to secure promotion at Bari and draw it was. Lazio were back in Serie A after only a year.
Lazio were able to secure promotion thanks to an excellent attack with Chinaglia, Massa and Abbondanza, and a very strong defence with the excellent goalkeeper Bandoni and Giuseppe Wilson. The midfield was not up to par and there was the need to find better players. They would come in the next season.
Lazio 1971-72
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals Scored |
Serie B | 38 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 48 |
Coppa Italia | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
Total | 48 | 23 | 15 | 10 | 61 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Wilson | 48 | 38 | 10 |
Massa | 44 | 38 | 6 |
Bandoni | 43 | 36 | 7 |
Martini | 42 | 34 | 8 |
Chinaglia | 41 | 34 | 7 |
Top goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Chinaglia | 26 | 21 | 5 |
Massa | 12 | 12 | - |
Abbondanza | 7 | 7 | - |
Nanni | 3 | - | 3 |
Let's talk about Alessandro Abbondanza
Alessandro Abbondanza was born in Naples on January 8, 1949.
He started his footballing career in the youth teams of Napoli. In 1968 he was loaned to Monza in Serie B but in November he was back in his hometown and debuted in Serie A on March 9, 1969 against Bologna. In the next season he was loaned to Pisa in Serie B and he scored his first professional goal. In 1970-71 he was back at Napoli in Serie A and played 15 games with two goals.
In November 1971 Napoli loaned Abbondanza to Lazio. He stayed for just a year but was fundamental in Lazio’s promotion to Serie A. His seven goals were a very important contribution. Apparently he did not get along with Chinaglia so at the end of the season he went back to Napoli.
Back at Napoli he again played half of the games but did not score. Napoli sold him to Brindisi in Serie B in November 1973 and a year after he signed with Sorrento in Serie C. His last years of football in Italy were in Serie C with Salernitana, Crotone and Paganese. In 1979 he played three games for Toronto Blizzard and then moved to New York United.
After he stopped playing he became a manager and coached various youth teams in the Campania region.
Interviewed by Lazio Style Radio in 2017, he said “one of my limits was height because I was only 1.70. I stayed 8 months in the capital and won promotion. I was young and I really enjoyed my Biancoceleste stint. I have great memories”.
He played 30 games for Lazio, 25 in Serie B with 7 goals and 5 in Coppa Italia.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Nov 1971-72 | 30 (7) | 25 (7) | 5 |
Sources
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