Important win
A Morrone goal takes Lazio into safer waters but there is still work to be done
Also on this day: March 8, 1936, Lazio Brescia 3-0. Lazio beat Brescia thanks to Uneddu, Camolese, Levratto and two red cards. Player of the day: Benedicto Zacconi
The season so far
Lazio had been promoted to Serie A in the previous season and the objective for the 1963-64 season was to stay in the first tier.
The manager was Juan Carlos Lorenzo and the main new players were: midfielders Paolo Carosi, returning from his loan to Udinese, Massimo Giacomini (Genoa), Alberto Mari (Sambenedettese) and Bruno Mazzia (on loan from Juventus) plus forward Carlo Galli (Genoa). Leaving were: Adelmo Eufemi (Udiense), Gianni Seghedoni (Vis Pesaro), Giambattista Moschino (Torino, end of loan), Paolo Bernasconi (Parma), Claudio Bizzarri (Civitanovese), Angelo Longoni (Vis Pesaro) and Dimitri Pinti (Parma).
The Biancocelesti started off pretty well and after 12 games were fifth after beating Mantova 2-0 at home. Then Lazio lost 7 consecutive games before drawing at home 0-0 against Spal and beating Milan away. The return derby was drawn 1-1 but then they had fallen at Vicenza. Lazio were in a deep crisis with many problems and just two points above the relegation zone.
Modena were in direct competition with Lazio in the relegation zone and had come into this game following a draw against Bologna and a win against Genoa. A win would be fundamental.
The match: Sunday, March 8, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio started the game well and Massimo Giacomini had an early chance but was blocked by Goldoni. After a timid shot by Giordano Balleri in the 5th minute, Giuseppe Gaspari had saved on a Giancarlo Morrone attempt. A fantastic save by Idilio Cei following a shot by Rubens Merighi managed to keep Lazio in the game and the same can be said for Modena when shortly after Gianni Goldini was able to clear a Carlo Galli header off the line. Modena could have opened the score with Luigi De Robertis who took advantage of a defensive blunder but missed the opportunity.
Just two minutes into the second half Lazio scored. Pierluigi Pagni passed the ball to Morrone who volleyed it behind the Modena goalkeeper. Three minutes later and it could have been 2-0. Gallo’s spectacular header was only just wide. De Robertis was sent off and the Biancocelesti had a number of opportunities to double the score with Orlando Rozzoni, Morrone and Giacomini. With ten minutes to go, Lazio pulled back to defend and Francesco Aguzzoli hit the woodwork. Giuseppe Longoni’s shot on the rebound was miraculously parried by Cei.
The Lazio fans lived the dying minutes with terror, but the Biancocelesti managed to secure the win and now the points from the relegation zone were three.
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Lorenzo
Who played for Modena
Gaspari, Barucco, Longoni, Balleri, Aguzzoli, Bellei, Gallo, Goldoni, Brighenti, Merighi, De Robertis.
Manager: Genta.
Referee: Gambarotta
Goal: 47’ Morrone
What happened next
After the game against Modena Lazio only lost two matches, but they also only won one more game beating Juventus in Turin by 3-0. All the rest were draws. The potential was there, but in the end the Biancocelesti could not go further than an 8th place.
Pierluigi Pagni was the player with most appearances (35) and Morrone and Mario Maraschi with the most goals (5).
Lazio 1963-64
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 21 |
Coppa Italia | 1 | - | - | 1 | - |
Total | 5 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 21 |
Top five appearances
Players | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Pagni | 35 | 34 | 1 |
Landoni | 34 | 34 | - |
Cei | 32 | 32 | - |
Morrone | 32 | 31 | 1 |
Maraschi | 31 | 31 | - |
Zanetti | 31 | 30 | 1 |
Top goal scorers
Players | Serie A |
Morrone | 5 |
Maraschi | 5 |
Let's talk about Idilio Cei
Valerio Idilio Cei, better known as Idilio, was born in Larciano, near Pistoia, on June 8, 1937. After playing in the youth team of Monsummanese near his home town, Cei signed for Foligno in 1953-54 but in the subsequent season they loaned him to Gualdo. In 1955-56 he was back at Foligno only to go again after a year on loan to Montecatini. He finally became the first choice goalkeeper in 1957.
There were a couple of former Lazio players at Foligno, Zeffiro Furiassi and Alberto Fontanesi, and the manager, Romolo Alzani, had been one of the pillars of Lazio in the past. Alzani noticed how good his keeper was and let his former club know. Lazio signed Cei with the idea of keeping him for the number 12 spot behind Bob Lovati, to allow him to acquire experience.
It would take Cei a few years to consolidate his presence in the Lazio squad. In 1958 he played a few games in Coppa Italia and 8 in Serie A. In 1959 it looked as if he had secured the number one spot since he played a lot more than Lovati but the following year he was third in the goalkeeper hierarchy behind Franco Pezzullo and Lovati.
After the disastrous 1960-61 season which saw Lazio go down to Serie B, Cei became one of the most important Biancoceleste players. Many clubs had set eyes on him but the club, despite the financial difficulties, refused all offers. Cei would go on to play 169 games in Serie A, 99 in Serie B, 19 in Coppa Italia and 4 in Mitropa Cup over ten seasons and follow in the footsteps of Lazio’s legendary goalkeepers Ezio Sclavi, Uber Gradella, Lucidio Sentimenti IV and Lovati.
Cei was a big man, 1.81 in height and 91 kilos in weight, but he was agile, had a great sense of position, and was physically very strong and powerful. He was one of those goalkeepers who was even able to save the impossible. Similar to Angelo Peruzzi if a comparison can be made.
After leaving Lazio he signed for Palermo in 1968 and stayed there for two years before finishing his career with Larcianese.
Once he stopped playing he started a managerial career. He was head coach for quite a number of minor league teams.
In 1981 he lost his son, 17 years of age, following a motorcycle accident.
He died in Larciano on March 24, 1996.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia | Mitropa Cup |
1957-58 | 2 | - | - | 2 | - |
1958-59 | 9 | 8 | - | 1 | - |
1959-60 | 26 | 25 | - | 1 | - |
1960-61 | 15 | 13 | - | 3 | - |
1961-62 | 41 | - | 38 | 3 | - |
1962-63 | 39 | - | 38 | 1 | - |
1963-64 | 32 | 32 | - | - | - |
1964-65 | 33 | 31 | - | 2 | - |
1965-66 | 33 | 30 | - | 3 | - |
1966-67 | 37 | 31 | - | 2 | 4 |
1967-68 | 24 | - | 23 | 1 | - |
Total | 291 | 169 | 99 | 19 | 4 |
Sources
Comments