One half each, but Lazio win
With two goals in the second half, the Biancocelesti overturn the result thanks to De Andreis and Koenig
The season so far
In the previous season the teams from Serie A and B had been grouped together and divided into two groups according to geographical location. This was in order to lessen the burden of travel in a devastated country following the end of World War II. Lazio finished seventh. A mediocre season for the Biancocelesti with a terrible first half and a better second.
The manager, Toni Cargnelli had been confirmed and there had been some new entries as far as players were concerned. Defenders Luigi Cassano (Alessandria), Emilio Carton (Verona), midfielders Antonio Sessa (Pro Gorizia) and Luciano Ramella (Como) and forwards Mario Magrini (Pro Gorizia), Bruno Ispiro (Genoa) and Cesare Ferronato (Bassano). There was a lot of optimism, and Lazio were considered a possible outsider.
But after the first 9 games of the season the Biancocelesti were only 14th having lost the derby heavily and away to Inter. A win against Napoli was going to be fundamental.
The match: Sunday, November 24, 1946, Stadio Nazionale, Rome
Napoli played really well in the first half and impressed. Michele Andreolo led the Partenopei. Fantastic in defence, he was the inspiration for the rest of the team and dominated midfield. Lazio played decently but could not find the key to stop the Neapolitans. Napoli scored a spectacular goal in the 27th minute. Egidio Di Costanzo crossed the ball into the box, Italo Romagnoli II found himself back to the goal but with a spectacular bicycle kick beat Corrado Giubilio. The goal was so good that many Lazio fans applauded.
Napoli also started strongly in the second half, but after ten minutes Andreolo had nothing left in the tank and Lazio took over. In the 54th minute Ispiro scored but the referee had seen a Magrini handball and the goal was disallowed. Three minutes later, the Biancocelesti equalised. Aldo Puccinelli crossed for Hengelbert Koenig, ball to Costantino De Andreis who volleyed it in.
In the 68th minute freekick for Lazio. Splendid shot by Koenig and Lazio made it two.
Good win for the Biancocelesti.
Who played for Lazio
Giubilo, Cassano, Antonazzi, Brunetti, Sessa, Gualtieri, Puccinelli, Magrini, Koenig, Ispiro, De Andreis
Manager: Cargnelli
Who played for Napoli
Chellini, Pretto, Berra, Rosi, Andreolo, Pastore, Busani, Di Costanzo, Romagnoli (II), Verrina, Barbieri.
Manager: Sansone
Referee: Zelocchi
Goals: 27’ Romagnoli II, 57’ De Andreis, 68’ Koenig
What happened next
At the end of the first half of the season Lazio were tenth with a five-point cushion on the relegation zone and miles away from the top. Very inconsistent, the Biancocelesti had some good wins (Bologna 3-1, Sampdoria 4-0) but bad losses (4-1 against Fiorentina and 5-1 to Torino). After 25 games they were in the relegation zone, but thanks to Enrique Flamini's return they managed to work themselves up and reach tenth place at the end of the season. In the last 13 matches they lost just one and won five.
Aldo Puccinelli was the player with most appearances (36) as well as the top scorer with 13 goals.
Lazio 1946-47
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 56 |
Top five appearances
Player | Serie A |
Puccinelli | 38 |
Gualtieri | 36 |
Cassano | 33 |
Magrini | 31 |
Ispiro | 28 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Serie A |
Puccinelli | 13 |
Koenig | 12 |
De Andreis | 8 |
Lombardini | 7 |
Ispiro | 5 |
Let's talk about Luigi Cassano
Luigi Cassano was born at Litta Parodi, near Alessandria, on March 26, 1920. He started his professional career with Liguria (the 1930s name for Sampierdarenese, which later merged with Doria to form Sampdoria) in 1937 and subsequently played for Napoli and Torino with whom he won a scudetto and a Coppa Italia in 1942-43.
He arrived at Lazio in 1946 from Alessandria where in 1945-46 he had won the Serie B Championship as a full back. The negotiation was not easy because he owned a flourishing leather activity so after having accepted a salary, he then had second thoughts. But in the end, he did come to the right side of the Italian capital and played one season with 33 appearances. He was a good defender but did not stay long.
In 1947-48 he signed for Sampdoria. He died on February 5, 1948 at only 28 years of age. He apparently ate some bad mussels in an away match at Bari and got typhus fever.
Lazio Career
Season | Serie A Appearances |
1946-47 | 33 |
Sources
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