March 27, 1938: Lazio Napoli 0-0
- Dag Jenkins
- Mar 27, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
A game of two halves in all senses
A sunny and lively first half was followed by a rainy and dull second half resulting in a goalless draw.
Also on this day:
The season so far
Lazio had an excellent year the previous season finishing 2nd behind Bologna under manager József Viola. Lazio also reached the prestigious Central European Cup final but lost to Ferencváros 6-9 on aggregate. Top scorer was Silvio Piola with 31 goals (21 in A).
This season the Hungarian, known as Giuseppe Viola, had stayed on and the squad saw few changes. Arriving were Uruguayan defender Maximiliano Faotto (Palermo) plus forward Emilio Capri (Vicenza) and leaving were midfielder Luigi Uneddu (Vigevano) and Walter Onofrio (Torino). So not a lot to get excited about.
So far Lazio were in 8th position with Torino, on 26 points. The Biancocelesti had won 9 (including Torino 6-0), drawn 8 (including Juventus 1-1 both home and away and the first derby) and lost 8 (including second derby 1-2). A week earlier they had been beaten 1-3 away by Inter (who were challenging Juventus for the Scudetto) which meant Lazio had lost the last two. Top scorer was Silvio Piola with 12 league goals.
In Coppa Italia Lazio had gone straight out in December, losing 0-1 at home to Brescia.
Napoli had finished 13th the previous season under Angelo Mattea. They had lost both games against Lazio, 3-5 at home and 0-4 away.
This season Mattea had started but was then replaced by Hungarian Eugen Payer after 14 games. The main new arrivals were defenders Mario Pretto (Schio, he would remain 12 seasons), Nicolás Riccardi (Palermo), Corrado Tamietti (Venezia), midfielder Filippo Prato (Torino) plus forwards Giuseppe Gerbi (Messina), Germano Mian (Triestina), Nicolò Nicolosi (Catania and former Lazio in 1930-31) and Nereo Rocco (Triestina - after 11 seasons).
Leaving were midfielders Enrico Colombari (Pisa), Antonio Ferrara (Ambrosiana-Inter), Nicola Ferrara (Ambrosiana-Inter), Natale Masera (Sanremese) plus forwards Gino Rossetti (Torino) and captain Attila Sallustro (after 11 seasons and 106 league goals - to Salernitana).
So far, Napoli were in 10th position, on 21 points with Bari. The Partenopei had won 6 (including Lazio 1-0), drawn 9 and lost 10. A week earlier they had beaten Atalanta 1-0 at home. Top scorer was Giuseppe Gerbi with 6 goals.
In Coppa Italia, Napoli had passed two rounds (Palermo 2-0 at home and Roma 4-2 a.e.t at home) but then lost 0-2 to Inter at home in the quarter finals.
Today's league game in Rome was very much a clash between two teams in mid-table limbo.
The match: Sunday, March 27, 1938, Stadio PNF, Rome
A meteorologically changeable day welcomed the two sides to north Rome. The game started in the sun but in the second half continued under a downpour.
The game too had two different faces. It started off promising to be a hard fought, interesting game but ultimately disappointed.
The beginning was fast paced and Lazio attacked more. Emilio Capri had three favourable chances but for one reason or another could not take advantage of them. First, he was off target, then Arnaldo Sentimenti II saved and finally he was anticipated by the visitor's defence.
Napoli gradually grew into the game and had chances with Giuseppe Gerbi who wasted a Giovanni Venditto assist in front of the keeper and then Carlo Biagi had a weak shot saved by Giacomo Blason. Halftime Lazio 0 Napoli 0.
The second period's pattern was clear from the start. Lazio on the attack and Napoli defending their point. Lazio however pushed forward without clear ideas or proper organisation and were systematically blocked by the Neapolitans.
The visitors were unbeatable in the air and Lazio seemed incapable of fast moves with the ball on the ground. They were only really dangerous once, in the 61st minute when Umberto Busani went extremely close with a shot that had Sentimenti II beaten but shaved the post.
The constant attack versus defence was ultimately won by the latter and Napoli brought home a point with a solid defensive display and without suffering excessively. Final score Lazio 0 Napoli 0.
A game which, like the weather, started off pleasant and full of promise but ended a wet squib.
Lazio slipped down to 9th in the table, as Torino had beaten Fiorentina 2-1 away. Napoli were still 10th with Bari, as the "Galletti" had drawn 0-0 in Bergamo.
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Viola
Who played for Napoli
Sentimenti II, Fenoglio, Castello, Prato, Buscaglia, Riccardi, Mian, Biagi, Gerbi, Rocco, Venditto
Manager: Payer
Referee: Soliani
What happened next
A week later Lazio lost 0-1 away to Torino, then drew 0-0 at Bergamo, beat Fiorentina 5-0 and Liguria 3-0 both at home. The Biancocelesti ended up 8th, after 11 wins, 10 draws and 9 defeats. Top scorer was Silvio Piola with 15 league goals while Busani got 12.
Napoli finished 10th. In the last four games the Partenopei won 2 and drew 2. Top scorer was Giuseppe Gerbi with 8 league goals.
The Scudetto was won by Ambrosiana-Inter for their 4th title. Serie B was calling for Fiorentina and Atalanta.
Let's talk about Emilio Capri
Emilio Capri was born in Vicenza, on November 21, 1917.
His first club was his hometown team of Lanerossi Vicenza in 1936-37. The "Lane" were in Serie C and he played 24 league games with 6 goals.
In 1937 he joined Lazio in Serie A. The manager was József Viola and the Biancocelesti finished 8th. Lazio had the great Silvio Piola and Umberto Busani up front but Capri managed to get 13 league games and score 2 goals (Milan, Fiorentina).
The following year Viola stayed but was replaced after 19 games by Luigi Allemandi. Lazio finished 10th and Capri played 17 league games with 4 goals (Torino, Novara, Milan, Roma) and 2 games in Coppa Italia. The highlight was beating Roma 2-0 in Testaccio although Capri did not score in that game.
In 1939 he left the capital and joined Torino where he stayed two seasons. The Granata finished 6th in the first year, under Angelo Mattea and then Andreas Kuttik from the end of December. Capri had a good campaign scoring 9 goals in 23 league games (Liguria, Modena, Bari, Fiorentina, Milan, Bologna, Roma x2, Fiorentina) and 2 in Coppa Italia (Ambrosiana-Inter, Brescia) in 2 games. One of his teammates was future Lazio manager Federico Allasio (1954).
In his second year under "La Mole Antonelliana" the manager was Tony Cargnelli (Lazio 1946-48) and Toro finished 7th. Capri played 29 league games with 7 goals (Triestina, Bari, Fiorentina, Napoli, Inter, Novara, Livorno) and 5 games in Coppa Italia with 2 goals (Brescia, Roma).
In 1941 he returned home to Vicenza who were in Serie B. The manager was first Pietro Spinato and then, former Lazio player, Aldo Spivach (1928-32). The "Lane" were promoted in 2nd place. Capri played 26 league games with 7 goals (Prato, Brescia, Pro Patria, Prato x2, Spezia, Novara).
The following year, in Serie A, Spinato returned as manager and the Biancorossi finished 12th. Capri played 11 league games and 1 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Pro Patria). The highlights were beating Inter and Juventus away, 2-1 and 6-2. One of his teammates was, former Lazio, Bruno Camolese (1935-40).
The war then interrupted all the national leagues which returned in 1945.
In 1945 he joined nearby Treviso. The Biancocelesti were in Serie B- C Alta Italia and were promoted to Serie B. Capri then stayed another four years and the Trevigiani finished 4th, 13th (relegated), 3rd and 1st (promoted). He played a total of 62 league games with 4 goals (according to records but probably more).
At 32 he retired.
Capri was a forward who had a good club career. He played 93 games in Serie A with 22 goals. He also won a promotion to Serie A with his hometown club Vicenza.
At Lazio he was a backup forward but he got his fair share of games, a total of 32 (30 in A) with 6 goals in two seasons. He scored in a derby and then went on to score three more goals against the Giallorossi playing for other clubs.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1937-38 | 13 (2) | 13 (2) | - |
1938-39 | 19 (4) | 17 (4) | 2 |
Total | 32 (6) | 30 (6) | 2 |
Sources
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