March 6, 1988: Lazio Modena 3-0
- Simon Basten
- Mar 6
- 6 min read
Very important two points
Lazio score early and consolidate win in the second half
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had managed to avoid relegation to Serie C in a playoff with Campobasso and Taranto. They had been given an unjust 9-point docking, a very heavy burden with only two points for a victory, due to an alleged involvement in match fixing. Lazio did so well at the beginning that by early 1987 they were closer to promotion than relegation. Then the stress took its toll and the team collapsed physically and mentally. Before the last game of the season, Lazio were second from bottom on 31 points together with Taranto, on 32 there were Campobasso, Vicenza, Sambenedettese and Catania, with Modena on 33. With Cagliari already relegated, there were three places left. The last game was Lazio-Vicenza on June 21. With seven minutes to go, it was still 0-0. Gabriele Podavini got the ball and shot. It was more out of desperation than an actual goal scoring attempt. He miskicked it but the ball reached Giuliano Fiorini who turned on himself and scored.
Final verdict: Lazio, Campobasso and Taranto needed a playoff to determine who would join Cagliari, Catania and Vicenza in Serie C. In Naples on June 27 Lazio played their first game against Taranto and lost due to a goal in blatant offside. Then Taranto and Campobasso drew 1-1 on July 1. This meant that Lazio had to beat Campobasso to stay in Serie B. They did thanks to a Fabio Poli goal. The Biancocelesti were safe.
The new Presidency of the Calleri brothers with Renato Bocchi were obviously aiming for a return to Serie A in the 1987-88 season and certainly had this in mind when it came down to the summer transfer window. There was a revolution. Lazio said goodbye to goalkeepers Mario Ielpo and Giuliano Terraneo, defenders Ernesto Calisti and Daniele Filisetti, but in particular to Lazio legends Podavini, Fiorini and Poli. The new signings were experienced goalkeeper Silvano Martina and defender Paolo Beruatto both from Torino, Diego Maradona’s reserve Ciro Muro from Napoli, Gabriele Savino from Vicenza, Paolo Monelli from Fiorentina and Giuseppe Galderisi on loan from Milan. Only a year earlier Galderisi had played for Italy in the 1986 World Cup.
There was a lot of expectation, especially because the slots for promotion were increased to four as Serie A was going to expand the number of teams from 16 to 18, but Lazio started slowly. After the first 10 games Lazio were 12th, not too far away from the promotion zone, but still not in a good position. A couple of wins pushed them back up but then four consecutive draws, three of which goalless, did not give them the boost that was needed.
Then came the game at Taranto. Lazio were losing 3-1 after 35 minutes but goals from Savino and Muro in the second half allowed the Biancocelesti to draw. This was the turning point for the Biancocelesti. They started to climb up the table. From fifth after the game in Puglia, they were now third on 25 points in the company of Cremonese and Bari. Atalanta, second, were three points away and Bologna, leaders, five.
Lazio needed to win today.
The match: Sunday, March 6, 1988, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Paolo Monelli on the right crossed into the box, Gabriele Savino was unable to head the ball but in came Raimondo Marino who sent a missile that Marco Ballotta could not stop. It was the 4th minute and Lazio were already ahead.
Modena reacted and in the 18th minute Giorgio Boscolo passed a great ball to Andrea Bergamo who from a favourable position kicked wide. The Biancocelesti following the scare tried to put the game to bed but an acrobatic volley from Monelli shaved the crossbar and towards the end of the first half Massimo Piscedda on a marvellous long ball from Gabriele Pin wasted a sitter.
The second half opened with a close-range attempt from Sauro Frutti in the 47th minute on which Silvano Martina's instincts were put to the test but six minutes later it was 2-0 for the home side. A give and go between Pin and Ciro Muro on the right, the former Juve player crossed and Paolo Beruatto with a splendid diving header beat Ballotta. The Canarini manager sent in a third forward Gian Paolo Montesano in place of defender Sandro Vignini, but from then on, the visitors disappeared from the pitch.
The Biancocelesti had a number of chances to make it three, first with Monelli in the 60th minute after a slalom through the Modena defence but his shot went wide. Three minutes later Muro crossed into the box but Pin was unable to make a decent connection. No problem. In the 65th minute a splendid pass from Muro to Mimmo Caso who, as he was about to shoot, was anticipated by Luciano Bellaspica but the ball went into his own net. Game over, comfortable win for the Biancocelesti.
Who played for Lazio
Martina, Marino, Beruatto, Pin, Gregucci, Piscedda, Caso (78’ Biagioni), Acerbis, Monelli, Muro, Savino (61’ Brunetti)
Substitutes: Salafia, Foschi, Nigro
Manager: Fascetti
Who played for Modena
Ballotta, Bellaspica (85' Montesano), Vignini, I.Ballardini, Cotroneo (80' D'Aloisio), Boscolo, Masolini, Frutti, Bergamo, Sorbello
Substitutes: Garuti, Santini, Rabitti
Manager: Mascalaito
Referee: Dal Forno
Goals: 4’ Marino, 53’ Beruatto, 65’ Bellaspica (og)
What happened next
With six games to the end, seven teams were involved in the fight for Serie A. Bologna and Atalanta were slightly ahead of the others, Lecce were one point above Lazio who in turn were a point ahead of Catanzaro, Cremonese and Bari.
The most important game of the season was Catanzaro-Lazio. Catanzaro by winning could have overtaken Lazio and it was 1-0 for the Calabrian Giallorossi when the referee indicated three minutes of injury time. With just seconds to go Monelli equalised and Lazio kept fourth place. Catanzaro managed to catch up with Lazio with three games to go but it only lasted one match.
Lazio-Taranto was the last game of the season. Bologna and Lecce were already promoted, Lazio and Atalanta had a one-point lead over Catanzaro. The other two matches of interest were Atalanta-Messina and Piacenza-Catanzaro. The Biancocelesti won 3-1 and secured promotion to Serie A. Finally.
Paolo Monelli was the player with most appearances this season (42) and the most goals (14).
Let's talk about Oberdan Biagioni
Oberdan Biagioni was born in Rome on October 17, 1969. He grew up in the Lazio youth sector winning a Primavera league in 1986-87. On March 6 1988 in Lazio Modena 3-0 he debuted in the first team. At the end of the season, which saw Lazio promoted in Serie A after three dramatic years, he was loaned to Monopoli in Serie C1. After a season on loan he was sold on a definite basis to the Apulian team. In two years, he made 51 appearances. In 1990 he signed for Cosenza in Serie B. In his first year the club managed to stay in Serie B and in the second they almost got promoted to Serie A, missing out in the last game after a defeat at Lecce.
The good performances earned him a call to Serie A. Zdenek Zeman wanted him for his Foggia. He played just one season and then left for Udinese. But it was not a good year for the Bianconeri at the end of which they were relegated to Serie B. Biagioni went back to Foggia but suffered another relegation. In 1995 he joined Pistoiese on loan in Serie B but here came relegation number three. Back at Foggia in 1996, in December he was loaned to Fidelis Andria where he stayed for two seasons. In his first year they got promoted to Serie B. In 1998 he joined Brescia and in 1999 he went back to Cosenza. In the following summer he signed for Crotone in Serie B but suffered a serious injury and made just three league appearances. His last years of active football were played with Giulianova in Serie C1 for two seasons and Tivoli in Serie C2.
Once he stopped playing he became a manager. In 20 years as head coach he has been in charge of a vast number of teams, all in the lower tiers: Tivoli, Terracina, Ostia Mare, Andria BAT, Viterbese, Olbia, Potenza, Messina, Lanusei, Olbia Primavera. He is currently head coach for San Marino in Serie D.
Biagioni was an attacking midfielder, great vision, excellent on free kicks.
Lazio Career
Season | Total Serie B appearances |
1987-88 | 3 |
Sources
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