Stroke of luck repays Lazio
A fortunate own goal gives Lazio useful point after Atalanta had taken the lead with a goal in blatant offside
Also on this day: May 3, 1936, Napoli Lazio 1-2. Two first half goals and rock solid defence give Lazio satisfaction under the Vesuvius. Player of the day: Giacomo Blason
The season so far
Lazio had just won promotion back to Serie A. Under manager Carlo Facchini, for the first four games, and then Bob Lovati with Juan Carlos Lorenzo as technical director, the Biancocelesti had conquered 2nd place and a place back in the big time. Juan Carlos Morrone, Orlando Rozzoni and Paolo Bernasconi all got 10 goals each.
That was a year after being robbed of promotion, in 1961-1962, when Gianni Seghedoni's goal, in a crucial game against Napoli was ridiculously judged to have gone in through a hole in the net.
This year Lorenzo was officially manager. The main new players were: midfielders Paolo Carosi (Udinese-back from loan), Massimo Giacomini (Genoa), Alberto Mari (Sambenedettese), Bruno Mazzia (Juventus-on loan) plus forward Carlo Galli (Genoa).
Leaving were defenders Adelmo Eufemi (Udinese), Gianni Seghedoni (Vis Pesaro), Giambattista Moschino (Torino-end of loan) plus forwards Paolo Bernasconi (Parma), Claudio Bizzarri (Civitanovese) and Angelo Longoni (Vis Pesaro).
Lazio started the season in the Coppa Italia but were eliminated immediately by Cagliari 0-1 away.
In Serie A things went better. Lazio went unbeaten in the first five games with 2 wins and 3 draws (including the derby) but then continued with mixed results. Lazio were currently joint 9th with Atalanta, on 27 points but only four points above the relegation zone. The Biancocelesti had won 9 (Milan 1-0 and Juventus 3-0 both away), drawn 9 (including derby 1-1) and lost 12. Their most recent game had been a 0-0 home draw to Torino.
Atalanta had finished 8th in Serie A the previous season, under manager Paolo Tabanelli. They had also won the Coppa Italia, to this day their biggest triumph.
This season the Orobici had started with Carlos Alberto Quario as manager but he had been replaced by Cesare Ceresoli on February 3. The Bergamaschi had pretty much an unchanged squad, the main new arrival was midfielder Luigi Milan (Catania) while leaving were forwards Dino Da Costa (Juventus), Arturo Gentili (Varese) and Rinaldo Olivieri (Sambenedettese).
So far Atalanta were joint 9th with Lazio. They had won 7 (including Juventus 3-0, Roma 1-0 at home and Lazio 1-0 away), drawn 13 and lost 10.
In the Cup Winners Cup, they had been eliminated by Sporting Lisbon 1-3 in a playoff in Barcelona, after winning a game each (2-0 Atalanta at home and 1-3 in Lisbon, no away goals yet).
In the Coppa Italia, as holders, they went straight through to the quarter finals where they would play Roma away on June 3.
An uncertain game today between two teams just above the relegation zone. Both teams had problems scoring goals (Lazio 20, Atalanta 22) so it was not likely to be a high scoring game.
The match: Sunday, May 3, 1964, Stadio Mario Brumana, Bergamo
A cloudy day with a blustery wind blowing sideways across the pitch with about 15,000 spectators present in Bergamo.
Lazio were without forwards Juan Carlos Morrone and Carlo Galli while manager Lorenzo was suspended, so up in the grandstand.
The home side took the lead almost immediately but not without controversy. In the 7th minute Angelo Domenghini received the ball in the area but he was at least three metres offside, he shot, Idilio Cei parried and then Domenghini slotted in the rebound. The linesman's flag incredibly stayed down and Lazio protested furiously but to no avail, the goal stood. Atalanta 1 Lazio 0.
Atalanta continued to attack but Lazio’s defence was solid. Towards the end of the half Lazio stirred. In the 36th minute Orlando Rozzoni missed a sitter after being played in by Massimo Giacomini. The future Milan manager then had a chance himself but his left-footed strike went wide.
Lazio, with a stroke of luck, equalised just before halftime. Mario Maraschi took a corner and defender Piero Gardoni dived to clear the ball but it then came off teammate Alfredo Pesenti's shoulder and into the back of the net. Atalanta 1 Lazio 1.
A fair score line considering the events of the afternoon so far.
The first quarter of an hour of the second half saw Lazio on the front foot. Graziano Landoni lacked precision on several shots and Maraschi went extremely close with a freekick just over the bar.
From the 60th minute Atalanta reacted and became more positive. Domenghini threatened with a header but it went just wide and in the 76th minute a cracking shot by Enrico Nova from about eight metres out forced Cei into an acrobatic and spectacular save.
Lazio and Atalanta then had one last chance each but both Landoni and Flemming Nielsen were off target. Final score Atalanta 1 Lazio 1.
Not a classic but a useful point for both in the end.
Who played for Atalanta
Cometti, Pesenti, Nodari, Nielsen, Gardoni, Colombo, Domenghini, Milan, Nova, Mareghetti, Magistrelli
Manager: Ceresoli
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Lorenzo
Referee: Di Tonno
Goals: 7' Domenghini, 45' Pesenti (og)
What happened next
Lazio finished joint 8th (with three other teams). They did not concede many goals (24) but scored even less (21). The most common result was 1-0, either for or against. In the last 3 games Lazio drew 2 (goalless with Inter and Sampdoria) and lost 1 (Bologna 0-1 away). In the end the Biancocelesti had a three-point cushion on the drop zone and one point more than Roma. Top scorers were Mario Maraschi and Juan Carlos Morrone with 5 league goals.
Atalanta too finished 8th. In the last three games the Nerazzurri drew 2 and lost 1. Top scorer was Angelo Domenghini with 9 league goals.
In Coppa Italia they lost 0-1 to Roma who then went on to win the cup.
The Scudetto was won by Bologna, after the first and only ever playoff, beating Inter 2-0 in Rome. It was the 7th league title for the Rossoblu. Going down were Bari, SPAL and Modena.
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 Bruno Mazzia
Bruno Mazzia was born in Vigliano Biellese on March 14, 1941.
He started his football with local club Biellese's youth setup. He then made his debut for the first team in 1957 in Serie C. He played two seasons for his hometown club and the Bianconeri finished 7th and 4th. He played 26 league games and scored 1 goal.
In 1959 he stayed in Piedmont but joined Juventus in Serie A. He stayed three seasons. In the first season, under Carlo Parola, the Bianconeri won the Scudetto and Coppa Italia. In the second they won the Scudetto again and in the third, under Julius Korostelev for the first two matches and then Parola again, they finished 12th. Mazzia played 26 league games with 2 goals (Lecco, Bologna).
In his time in Turin, he played alongside greats such as John Charles, Omar Sivori, Giampiero Boniperti and Benito Sarti to name a few.
In 1962-63 he played a year with Venezia on loan. They were in Serie A but got relegated under Carlo Alberto Quario. Mazzia played 13 league games.
In 1963-64 he spent a season with Lazio, on loan in Serie A. The manager was Argentine Juan Carlos Lorenzo and the Eagles finished 8th. Mazzia played 24 league games and 1 in Coppa Italia.
In 1964 he returned to Juventus for two seasons. In the first, under Heriberto Herrera they finished 4th but won the Coppa Italia (Inter 1-0). In the second, still under Herrera, they finished 5th. Mazzia played 30 league games with 2 goals (Inter, equaliser in 1-1 away draw, Inter again in 1-3 defeat).
In 1966 he was sold to Brescia in Serie A. The Leonessa finished 13th under Renato Gei and Mazzia played 32 league games with 6 goals (SPAL,Mantova, Lazio, Fiorentina, Lazio again, Cagliari) and 1 game in Coppa Italia. The following year the Bresciani were relegated, under future Italy manager, Azeglio Vicini and Mazzia played 20 league games with 3 goals (Cagliari x2, Bologna) and 1 game in Coppa Italia.
In 1968 he joined Perugia in Serie B. He stayed four seasons finishing 8th, 10th, 6th and 6th again. His manager was Giudo Mazzetti for all four seasons, a rare occurrence. Mazzia played 128 league games with 12 goals plus 10 games in Coppa Italia with 1 goal. His teammates included Lazio connections Luigi Polentes (1969-77), Costantino Fava (1967-68, 1970, 1971), Giorgio Mastropasqua (1980-82).
In 1972-73 he played a season with Reggina in Serie B. The manager was Mazzetti, from his Perugia days, and the Amaranto finished 16th. Mazzia played 31 league games and 3 in Coppa Italia.
In 1973 he joined Alessandria in Serie C and stayed two seasons. In the first the "Orso Grigio" was promoted to B, under Dino Ballacci and then Mario Pietruzzi. Mazzia played 29 league games with 2 goals and 4 games in Coppa Italia. In B they were relegated immediately after a playoff (Reggiana 1-2) under Sergio Castelletti and then Anselmo Giorcelli. Mazzia played 28 league games, plus the playoff, with 7 goals and 2 games in Coppa Italia.
In 1975 he returned to Biellese in Serie D but left after playing 2 league games and joined nearby Pro Vercelli in Serie C. He stayed two seasons and the Leoni finished 3rd and 9th. He played 57 league games with 8 goals. His managers were Bruno Fornasero in the first year and Sergio Vatta and then Antonio Montico in the second year.
Mazzia then retired at 36.
At international level he played five times for the Italy U21 side and won the Mediterranean Games in 1959.
After retiring he went into coaching. He started at Pro Vercelli in 1977 in C1 but was replaced in the first part of the season. He then had spells with: Nocerina (1979, Serie B, came in after 19 games, relegated), Lecce (1979-80, B, 15th), Forli (1981, C1, resigned after 6 games), Vicenza (1982-83, C1, came in after 7 games, 4th), Mantova (1984, C2, came in after 18 games, 4th), Campobasso (1984-86, B, 13th and 10th), Cremonese (1986-89, B, 5th, 6th, 4th and promoted to A), Udinese (1989, A, replaced after 17 games), Brescia (1990, B, replaced after 3 games), Padova (1991-92, B, replaced after 31 games).
His finest hour was therefore winning promotion to Serie A with Cremonese in 1989. He started out as a classic 'Italian style' coach favouring the man to man marking system but then evolved, in the 1980's and 90's, to one of the main promoters of the 'zonal style' of play.
As a player he was an inside half but he could play in any midfield role. He had a decent career, playing 56 league games for Juventus and scoring twice against arch-rivals Inter. He played 145 games in Serie A.
At Lazio he only played one season on loan. It was a good one, playing 25 games and Lazio finished 8th.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1963-64 | 25 | 24 | 1 |
Sources
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