Lazio edge Bologna in difficult conditions
Lazio adapt better to muddy pitch and with goals by Penzo and Remondini sink the Felsinei
Also on this day: May 23, 1971, Inter Lazio 1-1. Sandro Mazzola equalises late on after Nanni's goal had illuded Lazio of beating league champions. Player of the day: Guido Magherini
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finished 10th under manager Tony Cargnelli. It had been the first re -formed full national championship since World War II, so no longer divided into regional groups as the first championship post war had been.
This year the Austrian had started but was then later replaced by Orlando Tognotti after 21 matches.
In the summer Lazio had made some changes to the squad. The main novelties were defenders Sergio Piacentini (Sampdoria), Leandro Remondini (Modena), midfielder Flavio Cecconi (Maceratese) plus strikers Orlando Fantoni IV (Palmeiras) and Romano Penzo (Brescia).
Leaving Lazio were defenders Luigi Cassano (Sampdoria), Edoardo Valenti (Perugia), midfielder Antonio Sessa (Triestina) plus forwards Bruno Ispiro (Triestina) and Engelbert Koenig (Sampdoria).
So far, Lazio were in mid-table after 11 wins, 11 draws and 12 defeats, on 33 points. They had lost the first derby at home but won the second 2-0 away. Top scorer was Penzo with 13 goals.
Bologna had finished 5th the previous season under Hungarian manager Jósef Viola.
This year the Rossoblu had another Magyar manager, Gyula Lelovics. The Bolognesi too were in mid-table tranquillity after 14 wins (including against future champions Torino), 10 draws (including Lazio 0-0) and 10 defeats, on 38 points. Top scorer was Mario Gritti with 10 goals.
So today's game was between two teams with not a lot to play for, apart from honour and a more respectable position in the table.
The match: Sunday, May 23, 1948, Stadio Nazionale, Rome
The match was played on a very heavy, muddy field due to abundant spring rain in the capital. In fact, it continued raining all through the game.
A crowd of 10,000 turned up for a match of little significance for the league table. Both sides had absences; Lazio were missing Salvador Gualtieri and Alessandro Ferri while Bologna were without Secondo Ricci, Bela Sárosi, Gino Cappello, Istvan Mike Mayer, Sauro Taiti and top scorer Mario Gritti.
As mentioned, the playing conditions were difficult and the game was far from entertaining. Lazio however played better and with more determination. The Biancocelesti seemed to want the win more than their Felsinei visitors, perhaps subdued by their weakened line-up and the atmospheric situation.
Lazio attacked constantly and finally got the breakthrough in the 37th minute. Their top scorer Romano Penzo struck with a powerful mid-range shot, beating Gino Vasirani. The move had been started by Leandro Remondini, continued by Aldo Puccinelli and finished by the forward from Chioggia. 1-0 at halftime.
In the second half the game slowed down. The long season and heavy pitch causing tired legs. It was still Lazio in the ascendancy however as they controlled the game with authority. It became scrappy as time went on, more due to players precarious balance than any intentional foul play. Lazio seemed to adapt better to the adverse playing field, especially up front where Penzo and Puccinelli were particularly dangerous.
In the 68th minute Penzo was pulled down three metres outside the area by Luigi Spadoni. Remondini took it and sent a thundering shot into the top right corner. 2-0 to Lazio.
At this point with a double lead Lazio relaxed and the Rossoblu came forward more often. Amedeo Biavati missed a sitter after an excellent move by Dino Ballacci, Alberto Bonaretti and Giuseppe Baiocchi. A few minutes later, Biavanti again had an effort well saved by Uber Gradella while two Bolognesi got stuck in the net trying to get a final touch.
The visitors got a late consolation goal in the 89th minute when the referee awarded a penalty for a Remondini handball. Bruso Arcari’s spotkick was weak but precise and beat Gradella, 2-1.
Bologna almost equalised a minute Lazio but Gradella pulled off a magnificent diving save to deny Baiocchi. Final score Lazio 2 Bologna 1.
A well deserved win for Lazio despite a late scare. They played with more passion, more as a team and interpreted the slow, heavy pitch with more intelligence. Stand out players were Remondini and Sergio Piacentini.
Who played for Lazio
Gradella, Remondini, Piacentini, Brunetti, Alzani, Del Pinto, Puccinelli, Magrini, Penzo I, Cecconi, De Andreis
Manager: Tognotti
Who played for Bologna
Vasirani, Giovannini, Spadoni, Cingolani, Marchi, Ballacci, Biavati, Arcari, Giorni, Bonaretti, Baiocchi
Manager: Lelovics
Referee: Donati
Goals: 37' Penzo, 68' Remondini, 89' Arcari (pen)
What happened next
Lazio finished 10th. They lost the next two (Lucchese, Torino), then beat Vicenza, drew with Alessandria, beat Fiorentina 5-0 and drew the last match 3-3 away to Sampdoria. They ended the season on 39 points after 13 wins, 13 draws and 14 defeats. Top scorer was Romano Penzo with 17 league goals.
Bologna finished 9th. A week later, the Emiliani defeated Inter 1-0 and then had 2 draws (Bari, Juventus) and 3 defeats (Napoli, Salernitana, Genoa). They ended up on 40 points after 14 wins, 12 draws and 14 defeats. Top scorer was Gritti with 10 league goals.
Lazio 1947-48
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 40 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 54 |
Top five appearances
Player | Serie A |
Alzani | 38 |
Remondini | 35 |
Gradella | 34 |
Puccinelli | 34 |
Penzo | 33 |
Top 5 goal scorers
Player | Goals |
Penzo | 17 |
Remondini | 6 |
Puccinelli | 6 |
De Andreis | 6 |
Magrini | 5 |
Cecconi | 5 |
Let’s talk about Orlando Tognotti
Orlando Virgilio Tognotti was born in La Spezia, on January 24, 1904.
He was formed football wise in the youth sector of Unione Veloce Juventus of La Spezia.
He started his career in 1921 with his hometown club Spezia. He stayed six seasons, four in Serie A and two in Serie B. Tognotti played 84 league games and scored 12 goals.
In 1927 he joined fellow Ligurians Genova 1893 (modern day Genoa - they returned to being called Genoa in 1945). He made his debut against Casale on June 24, 1928. He achieved a 2nd place with the "Grifone" and access to the Central European Cup.
In 1929 Tognotti joined Lazio. In his first year he played under Hungarian coach Ferenc Molnár (briefly replaced by Pietro Piselli) and made 26 league appearances. Lazio finished 15th.
In his second year Molnár started (1-26), then Cesare Migliorini (27-31) and finally Brazilian Amílcar (27-34). Lazio came 8th and Tognotti played 32 league games.
In the 1931-32 season Amílcar stayed on as player manager. Lazio came 13th and Tognotti played 6 league games.
In 1932 Tognotti joined Terni in the first division (below Serie B). He played 22 games with 2 goals.
The following two seasons he played with Pisa. In his first the Nerazzurri were promoted to Serie B. He played 38 league games and scored 1 goal for the Pisani.
He retired young at 29 and became a manager. He started with the Ascoli youth sector and then had a brief spell with Ascoli's first team. He then had stints at Teramo (1937), Ascoli again (1938-40) and Chieti (1940-41).
During the war period he returned to Rome and coached local teams (Alba Motor, Alba Roma, Alba Trastevere - same team with different names - and then Poligrafico Roma).
In 1948 came his big moment. After the sacking of Tony Cargnelli, Lazio turned to Tognotti. He was Lazio's manager for the last 20 matches and Lazio came 10th. His biggest satisfaction was surely winning the derby 2-0 on April 21 1948, with goals by Flavio Cecconi and Costantino De Andreis.
He started the following season too, but was replaced after ten games by Mario Sperone. Lazio had drawn the derby 1-1 but lost six and were still winless.
In 1952 he joined Catanzaro in Serie D. The "Aquile del Sud" won the Serie D Scudetto and were promoted to Serie C. It is to this day the Calabresi's only trophy. He stayed another three seasons in Serie C with the Giallorossi.
He then returned to Chieti for two more seasons in Serie D. In his second, and last, the Neroverdi were promoted to Serie C.
Tognotti is one of the few who had the satisfaction of both playing and coaching Lazio (Bob Lovati, Eugenio Fascetti, Simone Inzaghi and some others). He was known as Tognotti II to distinguish him from his brother Arrigo who played for Spezia. In Rome he was also known as "Maccarese" (a rural and seaside area near Rome) for his unglamorous choice of holiday destination. Orlando was a defender and played at left full-back. He played 64 league games for Lazio, the peak of his career. He never won a derby as a player but got his revenge as manager.
Orlando Tognotti died in Rome on March 7, 1963.
Lazio career
Season | Appearances in Serie A |
1929-30 | 26 |
1930-31 | 32 |
1931-32 | 6 |
Total | 64 |
Sources
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