November 23, 1952: Lazio Torino 2-1

Updated: 3 days ago

Lazio win ill-tempered affair

Tempers run high and game ends in ugly scenes after Lazio dispatch Torino

Player of the day: Ragnar Larsen

Also on this day:

November 23, 2003, Lazio Perugia 3-1. More scuffles than football with six red cards but Lazio get two late goals and win the battle.
November 23, 1930: Lazio-Genova 1893 5-0. Lazio score five times, with Cevenini V, Foni, Pastore and a Malatesta brace, against a dismal Genova

The season so far

Lazio had achieved a good 4th place finish the previous season. This year they were on 12 points and improving after a slow start with 4 wins out of the last 5, including a convincing 1-0 win against Roma. The derby had not been played for a year, as their arch enemies had spent a season in Serie B, so it was an extra special win.

Torino had finished 14th the previous season and had seen their city rivals Juventus lift their 9th title. Torino's season was so far mediocre and they lay in mid-table with 7 points with no particular ambitions to fight for the loftier positions.

The match: Sunday, November 23, 1952, Rome, Stadio Torino

The match was played on a sunny afternoon in front of a 30,000 crowd. The game was dominated by Lazio from the early stages and they went ahead after 7 minutes with Paolo Bettolini. Lazio then continued to create numerous chances but their forwards had an off day wasting several opportunities to double the lead. The defence however was solid and young Norwegian Per Bredesen played well at midfield, but the star of the match was fellow compatriot Ragnar Larsen.

Despite Lazio's dominance Torino equalized on the hour mark with a rare excursion into Lazio's half. It was a family affair as Lazio's popular keeper Lucidio Sentimenti IV punched the ball out only for his brother Vittorio Sentimenti III to meet it and hammer it into the top hand corner.

The decisive goal came only 5 minutes later when Larsen decided to go solo; he picked up the ball in midfield and swerved past several opponents before hitting a clinically angled shot which went in off the post.

At that point the game degenerated and got dirty especially thanks to the visitors. There were endless rough fouls and tempers rose high among the players. Lazio's more technical players were bullied out of the game and it was with relief that the referee's triple whistle was heard to end the "hostilities" and award Lazio a well-deserved two points.

Who played for Lazio

Sentimenti IV, Antonazzi, Furiassi, Alzani, Malacarne, Bergamo, Bettolini, Bredesen, Antoniotti, Larsen, Puccinelli

Manager: Bigogno

Who played for Torino

Piccioni, Cuscela, Farina, Giuliano, Nay, Moltrasio, Marzano, Sentimenti III, Pratesi, Buhtz, Balbiani

Manager: Cappelli

Referee: Bernardi

Goals: 7' Bettolini, 70' Sentimenti III, 75' Larsen

What happened next

Lazio's season faltered and was very up and down. One of the few highlights was beating Roma for the second time with an Aldo Puccinelli brace but the final position was a lacklustre 11th.

Torino on the other hand improved slightly and in the end finished on the same 31 points as Lazio. The scudetto that year was won by Inter.

Let's talk about Ragnar Larsen

Larsen was born in Oslo, Norway, on 7 January, 1925.

He started his career at Sandaken, outside Oslo, where he played for 3 seasons. In 1951 came the big opportunity to go abroad and he moved to Lazio. He played 2 years in the Italian Capital totalling 57 games and scoring 14 goals. He was a success in Rome but in 1953 he switched teams for Genoa where he stayed for 3 years (92 appearances and 5 goals). He then played 2 years in Switzerland for Lugano before returning to his homeland and Sandaken where he played a further 4 years before his retirement in 1962.

Larsen was an attacking midfielder with good pace and, especially at Lazio, had the knack of scoring goals.

At International level he played 11 times for Norway getting 2 goals.

Larsen also had a successful coaching career both at club and International level. He coached Lugano (1957-8), Lillestrøm (1962) and Strømsgodset (1967). He also had the honour of managing his home country Norway in 2 different spells, first in 1958 and then between 1962-1966.

Larsen died relatively young in 1982, at 57 years of age.

If you mention Norway at Lazio the two players who come to mind are certainly Larsen and team mate Per Bredesen who are both remembered fondly at the club.