Game 20, Serie A
Sunday, February 19, 1961
Stadio San Paolo, Naples
Napoli Lazio 2-5
A massive win in Naples gives Lazio a small ray of hope
Lazio at the end of the first part of the season were in a desperate position: last, three points away from possibile safety. Since then the situation had not improved.
The match
The managers of both teams had changed a lot of players before this game. Jesse Carver had Amos Mariani injured and decided to give Giancarlo Morrore a rest, introducing Gianni Bui.
Lazio started surprisingly well. In the 10th minute Franco Janich won a duel with Emanuele Del Vecchio and made a long pass to Adelmo Eufemi who immediately passed it to Claudio Bizzarri. The Lazio player thundered into the penalty box and was fouled by Celso Posio. A penalty, that Franco Carradori had no problem with and Lazio were one up.
While Napoli were trying to form some kind of reaction, Lazio made it two. Eufemi cleared the Lazio penalty box, ball to Orlando Rozzoni who passed it to Paolo Carosi. The midfielder dribbled Maioli and 35 metres from the goal he decided to shoot. Impossible for Bugatti to save, 2-0 for Lazio.
Eleven minutes later Lazio made it three. Rozzoni received the ball from an Egidio Fumagalli throw-in, ran past Posio and Elia Greco and put the ball in the net. Incredible. The Neapolitans were shocked, the last thing they would have imagined was for weak Lazio to show such strength.
Napoli attempted a comeback but in the 40th minute Guido Postiglione kicked the ball high from a favourable position. 3-0 for Lazio at the end of the first half.
At the start of the second half, Lazio made it four. After a header that went just out, in the 48th minute Rozzoni thundered a shot into goal following a great move started by Fumagalli and continued by Bruno Franzini and Giovanni Molino. Lazio then sat back a bit and Napoli, booed by their fans, scored twice. Juan Carlos Tacchi’s shot in the 54th minute hit the woodwork but Del Vecchio was ready for the tap in. A quarter of an hour later another shot from outside the box went past Bob Lovati and Napoli started to believe they could actually make a real comeback.
But this was not to be. A weak clearance by the Napoli defence was picked up by Fumagalli who made it five for Lazio. Great enthusiasm for the Lazio supporters, there was still a glimmer of hope of avoiding relegation.
Who played for Napoli
Bugatti, Greco, Mistone, Bertucco, Posio, Bodi, Di Giacomo, Postiglione, Del Vecchio, Maioli, Tacchi
Coach: Amadei
Manager: Cesarini
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Flamini
TD: Carver
Referee: Bonetto
Goals: 10’ Carradori (pen), 21’ Carosi, 32’ Rozzoni, 48’ Rozzoni, 54’ Del Vecchio, 69’ Maioli, 74’ Fumagalli
Sources
Comentários