First win in Serie A
In the first Serie A game of Lazio’s history, the Biancocelesti smash Bologna
The season so far
The 1929-30 Serie A Championship was the first Serie A tournament to be played using a round robin format. Until the 1926-27 championship the teams were placed into two or more groups based on geographical provenance. Since then the National Division was closed to 20 squads divided into two groups of 10. A year later the teams were 22. These numbers could have allowed a single round robin, but it was a bit difficult from an organisational point of view to have more than 18 teams.
The other problem was the creation of a second tier. In the end a final decision was made: Serie A with 16 teams and a first Serie B with 32 teams divided into two groups. Serie A increased by two to make it 18 due to the fact Triestina needed to be in Serie A for political reasons. Lazio and Napoli had to go through a play off to qualify and that ended in a draw so a repeat was necessary. At that point there was the need to include both teams to even the numbers so the repeat game was cancelled and they both qualified.
Ferenc Molnar was confirmed as manager and the new arrivals were goalkeeper Tullio Bonadeo (La Dominante), defenders Alfredo Foni (Udinese) and Orlando Tognotti (Genova 1893), midfielder Mario Malatesta (Spezia), forwards Riccardo Okely III (Padova), Pietro Pastore (Milan), Dino Sbrana II (Siena) and Luigi Ziroli (Serenissima). Leaving Lazio were Luigi Bodrato (Sestrese), Silvio Griggio (retired), Aroldo Vaccari (Parma), Carlo Nesi (Robur), Gino Lamon (Padova) and Paolo Paganini (Napoli).
Today was the first game of the season and the first game of Serie A. Bologna however were reigning champions.
The match: Sunday, October 6, 1929, Stadio Rondinella, Rome
Lazio started the game well and in the 4th minute they were already dangerous with Luigi Ziroli and four minutes later with Riccardo Okely III. As a natural consequence, it did not take long for the Biancocelesti to score their first goal in Serie A. In the 15th minute Marino Furlani took a free kick and Aldo Spivach volleyed the ball in.
Things got worse for Bologna in the 17th minute as Gastone Martelli had to leave the field due to injury. Both teams had chances to score and the match was rather lively. In the 43rd minute Francesco Rier shot a missile that Mario Gianni managed to parry into corner.
In the second half the Biancocelesti dominated. In the 56th minute Ziroli took a corner kick and Rier headed the ball in the goal for Lazio’s second. Ezio Sclavi was called to action shortly after on a Federico Busini III shot. The Biancocelesti made it three in the 84th minute. Okely III sent a low cross into the box which Pastore comfortably slotted in.
Fantastic start for Lazio in their first Serie A match.
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Molnar
Who played for Bologna
Gianni, Monzeglio, Gasperi, Genovesi, Baldi, Martelli II, Busini I, Della Valle, Maini, Busini III, Muzzioli
Manager: Felsner
Referee: Giorgi
Goals: 15’ Spivach, 56’ Rier, 84’ Pastore
What happened next
Lazio did not do very well despite winning the first game of the season. The Biancocelesti did manage to beat weaker teams but often lost against stronger teams. They lost the first derby and at the end of the first half of the season were 13th but a comfortable six points above the relegation zone.
With five matches to the end of the season Lazio were 12th on 24 points with Pro Patria and Livorno, one point ahead of Modena and Padova and two over Triestina. There was one team left to be relegated since Cremonese were last and a long way behind. Lazio beat Torino and then lost to Napoli and Livorno.
Two games to go and Lazio were 16th, two points ahead of Padova and one behind Modena, Triestina, Pro Patria and Livorno. They really needed to beat Pro Vercelli at home and they did so but Padova also won. Before the final match Lazio, Modena, Triestina and Pro Patria were on 28 points, Livorno on 27 and Padova on 26.
It all came down to the final match of the season. Padova were beaten 8-0 by Roma so Lazio were safe despite losing against Juventus.
A difficult season for Lazio. Leopoldo Caimmi was the player with most appearances (32), Luigi Ziroli was top scorer with 11 goals followed by Piero Pastore with 10.
Lazio 1929-30
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 49 |
Top five appearances
Players | Serie A |
Caimmi | 32 |
Sclavi | 31 |
Ziroli | 31 |
Pastore | 28 |
Bottacini | 27 |
Pardini | 27 |
Top five goal scorers
Players | Serie A |
Ziroli | 11 |
Pastore | 10 |
Malatesta | 9 |
Spivach | 9 |
Rieri | 7 |
Let's talk about Renato Bottacini
Renato Bottacini was born in Verona on March 2, 1901. He learnt how to play football thanks to the English soldiers in Italy during World War I and his first club was Bentegodi Verona where he stayed from 1919 to 1921. He then went to the rival team Hellas for whom he played until 1925. He then was sold to Bologna but played very little with just 2 appearances. In 1926 he was loaned to Spal.
In 1927 he joined Lazio, staying for four seasons with 85 appearances. He was a good defender and played regularly in the first three seasons.
In 1931 he joined Rovigo in Serie C and became player manager. Once he stopped playing in 1937, he stayed as head coach until 1942. He then proceeded to coach Merano (three stints, 1945-47, 1954-55 and 1961-62), Bolzano (twice, 1947-48 and 1952-54), the youth teams of Verona (1950-52), Catanzaro in 1956-57 and Virtus Don Bosco from 1957 to 1960.
In the first course organised by the Italian Federation for managers held in Florence in 1948, he achieved the second highest grades, only behind Fulvio Bernardini.
He died in Bologna on August 3, 1979
Lazio career
Season | Total Appearances | Serie A | National Division | Coppa Coni |
1927-28 | 26 | - | 17 | 9 |
1928-29 | 30 | - | 30 | - |
1929-30 | 27 | 27 | - | - |
1930-31 | 2 | 2 | - | - |
Total | 85 | 29 | 47 | 9 |
Sources
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