Lazio go top
With a routine win over Palermo the Biancocelesti become solitary Serie A leaders
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had been promoted back to Serie A under the "Il Maestro", Tommaso Maestrelli. Top scorer had been "Long John" Giorgio Chinaglia with 26 goals (21 in B). Lazio had also had the satisfaction of beating Roma in a Coppa Italia game (1-0, Chinaglia).
This season Maestrelli was obviously still the manager but there had been some important changes to the squad. The main players arriving were: goalkeeper Felice Pulici (Novara), defender Sergio Petrelli (a rare deal with Roma), midfielders Mario Frustalupi (Inter), Pierpaolo Manservisi (Napoli-end of loan), Ferruccio Mazzola (Fiorentina- end of loan) and Luciano Re Cecconi (Foggia) plus forward Renzo Garlaschelli (Como).
Leaving were keepers Claudio Bandoni (Catanzaro) and Rosario Di Vincenzo (Brindisi), defender Giuseppe Papadopulo (Brindisi), midfielders Arrigo Dolso (Alessandria), Giuseppe Massa (Inter) and Alessandro Abbondanza (Napoli-end of loan) plus forwards Carlo Facchin (retiring) and Giuliano Fortunato (Lecce).
So quite a lot of changes to the squad. The main sacrifice was letting go of Massa but the arrival of Frustalupi would turn out to be a history changer for Lazio.
The season had started in August with the Coppa Italia. It went badly and Lazio were out, after losing 3 (Napoli 0-1 at home, Brindisi 0-1 away and Taranto 1-2 at home) and drawing 1 (Palermo 0-0 away).
In Serie A fortunately things had gone better. After six games Lazio had 10 points and were joint top with Inter. The Biancocelesti had won 4 (Fiorentina 1-0 and Vicenza 2-1, both away, Ternana 2-1 at home and a week earlier the derby 1-0) and drawn 2 (Inter 0-0 and Juventus 1-1, both at home).
Today the Eagles hoped to continue on the waves of enthusiasm against lowly Palermo.
Palermo too were newly promoted. The Rosanero had finished 3rd in Serie B under manager Benigno De Grandi. Top scorer was Enzo Ferrari with 12 league goals. Both matches against Lazio had been draws.
This season the manager was Umberto Pinardi. The Sicilians had brought in some new players for the higher category: defenders Paolo Viganò (Monza), Eugenio Fumagalli (Foggia), midfielders Bruno Pace (Bologna), Arturo Ballabio (Monza), Angelo Pereni (Vicenza), forwards Luigino Vallongo (Como).
Leaving were defender Gianni Palanca (Taranto), midfielders Carlo Lancini (Bologna), Fabio Ferrario (Lucchese), Alberto Arbitrio (Turris) and forward Silvino Bercellino (Monza). They had recently also let go of their top scorer Enzo Ferrari (Monza) in the autumn transfer window.
Not a transfer market to get excited about especially losing your top scorer in November.
So far, the Aquile had won 1 (Torino 2-1 at home), drawn 2 and lost 3. They were currently joint 12th with Ternana and Bologna on 4 points but only one point above bottom placed Vicenza and Sampdoria.
In the Coppa Italia, in August, the Rosanero were in Lazio’s group but they too had gone out. They drew all four matches.
So, Lazio flying high and Palermo low. Lazio strong favourites today. With the Milanese derby being played Lazio, with a win, had a chance to possibly go top.
The match: Sunday, November 19, 1972, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A sunny but fresh afternoon with a north wind blowing saw about 45,000 turn up at the Olimpico.
Lazio were without Paolo Manservisi while Palermo were missing midfielder Erminio Favalli (Beppe's uncle) and defender Luigi Pasetti.
Lazio took control of the game from the start. The Biancocelesti were quick, slick and full of energy. Palermo looked inferior in every way.
It took Lazio just under a quarter of an hour to take the lead. In the 13th minute Giorgio Chinaglia hammered home from near the penalty spot. Lazio 1 Palermo 0.
Lazio continued to dominate and doubled their lead just after the half hour. In the 34th minute Giacomo La Rosa with a precise header put the Biancocelesti 2-0 up.
Lazio were totally superior but it was in midfield especially where they stamped their absolute authority on the game. Luciano Re Cecconi and Franco Nanni's athleticism, Mario Frustalupi's playmaking skills and Gigi Martini constantly pushing down his wing meant the Palermitani saw little of the ball.
The second half was similar. Palermo however had a bit more urgency about them and attacked a little more. In the 66th minute they had the chance to possibly reopen the contest when Gaetano Troja went round Felice Pulici but his shot was cleared off the line by Pino Wilson.
Despite the visitors' improvement it was still Lazio who had several more chances to score again. La Rosa in particular went close, hitting a post and a crossbar.
Just to be safe in the 83rd minute defender Sergio Petrelli came on for La Rosa. Lazio comfortably saw the game out. Full time Lazio 2 Palermo 0.
Ultimately an easy win for Lazio who were in total control and could have won by more goals.
More good news came at the end as Milan had beaten Inter 3-2 in the Milanese derby. This meant Lazio were now solitary leaders with 12 points ahead of Milan and Inter on 10. Lazio were in dreamland.
Palermo meanwhile were now joint bottom with Sampdoria and Vicenza.
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Facco, Martini, Wilson, Oddi, Nanni, Garlaschelli, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi, La Rosa (83' Petrelli)
Substitutes: Moriggi
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Palermo
Girardi, Sgrazzutti, Viganò, Arcoleo, Landini, Landri, Pace, Vanello, Troja, Pereni, Ballabio
Substitutes: Ferretti, Reja
Manager: Pinardi
Referee: Lazzaroni
Goals: 14' Chinaglia, 34' La Rosa
What happened next
Lazio went on to have a fantastic season and challenged for the scudetto until the end. In the next 22 games the Biancocelesti won 11 (including derby 2-0, Milan 2-1 and Palermo 2-0), drew 9 and lost 2.
Going into the last fixture the table read: Milan 44, Lazio and Juventus 43. Milan were soon 0-4 down at Verona (Milan had played Cup Winners Cup final midweek) and at halftime Lazio were drawing 0-0 in Naples and Juventus losing 0-1 to Roma, in Rome. A playoff between Lazio and Milan was on the cards. Then unfortunately almost surely thanks to "financial incentives" and personal interests Roma stopped playing and lost while Napoli, also apparently paid off by the "Old Lady" played the game of their lives, scored in the 88th minute and acted as if they had won the World Cup.
A pity for Lazio but they had played great football and had an excellent season finishing 3rd. They also won both derbies (1-0, 2-0). Top scorer was Giorgio Chinaglia with 11 goals (10 in A). The following year would be different but that's another story.
Palermo beat Napoli 1-0 at home a week later but ended up relegated. They won another 2 games (Napoli and Fiorentina), drew 9 and lost 12 (including Lazio 0-2 again). In mid-March they replaced Pinardi with Alvaro Biagini but to no avail and they finished 15th. The Palermitani only scored 13 league goals all season and top scorer was Arturo Ballabio with 3 league goals.
So, Juventus champions for the 15th time. Going down with Palermo were Atalanta and Ternana while Roma only stayed up on goal difference.
Let’s talk about Giacomo La Rosa
Giacomo La Rosa was born in Messina, on August 25, 1946. He was nicknamed "Il Sivori di Messina".
His formative years were spent with the Messina youth set up and then he was added to the first team squad in 1965.
The Giallorossi were in Serie B and he stayed four seasons. The Sicilians finished 7th, 11th, 19th (relegated) and 8th (in C). La Rosa played 88 league games and scored 19 goals. His managers were Tonino Colomban the first two seasons, Umberto Mannocci (Lazio 1964-66) the third and Paolo Todeschini (former Lazio player and manager) the last.
In 1969 he changed teams but not colours when he joined Roma. He stayed three seasons in the capital. The Giallorossi finished 10th, 6th and 7th. La Rosa played 19 league games with 4 goals (Milan, Inter, Inter x2), 2 games in the Cup Winners Cup, 3 in Coppa Italia and 4 in the Anglo-Italian Cup with 1 goal (Stoke City). The managers were Helenio Herrera, Luciano Tessari from the 25th game on in the second season and then Herrera again in the third. His teammates at Roma included future Lazio connections Sergio Petrelli (1972-76), Ciccio Cordova (1976-79) and Luciano Spinosi (assistant manager to Eriksson 1997-2000) plus future top manager Fabio Capello (Milan, Real Madrid, Roma, England)
In 1972 he joined Varese in Serie B but after 6 league games left and came to Lazio. For the record the Biancorossi finished 6th under Pietro Moroso and in the squad was a young Claudio Gentile (future Juventus and World Champion in 1982).
In Rome with Lazio, he was a reserve behind Giorgio Chinaglia and Renzo Garlaschelli but still managed to play 6 league games with 2 goals (Palermo, Atalanta) and 4 games in the Anglo-Italian Cup with 1 goal. The manager was Tommaso Maestrelli and Lazio played great football, fighting for the Scudetto until the last game of the season but ending up 3rd.
In 1973 he moved back to Sicily and joined Palermo in Serie B. He stayed two seasons with a 7th and 5th place, playing 50 league games with 21 goals. His manager was Corrado Viciani in both seasons. His teammates included Dario Pighin (Lazio, 1976-82).
In 1975-76 he spent a season with Catanzaro in Serie B. It was a great year under Gianni Di Marzio and the "Regina del Sud" won promotion to Serie A for the first time in their history. La Rosa played 17 league games with 3 goals (Ternana, Brindisi, Foggia). One of his teammates was future top manager Claudio Ranieri (Premier League winner with Leicester).
In 1976 La Rosa joined Brindisi in Serie C but after 5 league games and 1 goal he left and moved to fellow Adriatici Pescara in Serie B. Brindisi ended up 10th.
He stayed in Pescara two seasons. The Dolphins finished 3rd (promoted after playoff) and 16th (relegated). In the promotion year he played 29 league games with 8 goals (Ternana, Novara, Rimini, Cagliari, Lecce, Varese, Brescia, Taranto), while in Serie A he played 8 league games with 1 goal (Bologna). The manager was Giancarlo Cadè both seasons. His teammates included Vincenzo Zucchini (Lazio 1979-80), Roberto Galbiati (Lazio 1985-86).
In 1978-79 he spent a season with Salernitana in Serie C1. La Rosa played 19 league games with 4 goals. The manager was first Domenico Rosati and then Franco Viviani and the Granata finished 6th.
In 1979-80 he played for Civitavecchia, a port on the coast north of Rome, in C2. He played 27 league games and scored 20 goals with the Nerazzurri finishing 9th.
His last two years of active football were played for Banco di Roma in C2. He played 57 games, scoring 15 goals and the Giallorossi finished 13th and 14th. The Bankers team also guaranteed him a job as a bank clerk seeing he had a degree in Economics.
At this point at almost 36 he retired and continued to work in the bank.
La Rosa was a forward. He was not a physical player but based his game on his technique and skill. His nickname, "Sivori of Messina", better explains his style. He played 33 games in Serie A and 159 in B. He won two promotions to Serie A and in 1973-74 was the second highest goal scorer in Serie B, winning the Chevron Award.
At Lazio he only stayed one season but went very close to winning the Scudetto. He played a total of 10 games (6 in A) with 3 goals. He played alongside Chinaglia and Garlaschelli up front and had Felice Pulici, Gigi Martini, Pino Wilson, Giancarlo Oddi, Franco Nanni, Luciano Re Cecconi and Mario Frustalupi as teammates and Tommaso Maestrelli as manager...priceless.
Lazio Career
Season | Total Appearances (goals) | Serie A | Ango Italian Cup |
1972-73 | 10 (3) | 6 (2) | 4 (1) |
Sources
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