Game 19, Serie A
Sunday, February 3, 1980
Stadio Renato Curi, Perugia
Perugia Lazio 0-0
Lazio dig deep, defend, have a couple of chances themselves, defend again and hold on for precious draw
So far, Lazio had played 17 league games and had won 4 (including Juventus 1-0 at home), drawn 9 (including derby 1-1) and lost 4. Lazio were in 9th position, on 18 points (with 5 other teams) in mid-table.
Lazio had a negative tradition in Perugia in recent years, losing four consecutive times without even managing to score one goal. Would this change today?
The match
A fresh but sunny day in the Umbrian capital. The small stadium in the valley below Perugia attracted a good crowd. There was a strong away support too as the venue is reasonably close.
Perugia were missing midfielder Salvatore Bagni while Lazio had to do without midfielder Totò Lopez.
Perugia started strongly while Lazio were content to sit back, defend and wait for their moment. The most dangerous was Mario Goretti who twice forced Massimo Cacciatori into saves, first with a low central long range freekick and then with a more dangerous closer range effort which was well saved into corner. Perugia attacked and Goretti again had a shot go just wide.
Lazio absorbed the pressure reasonably well and gradually came out of their shell. Vincenzo Zucchini chipped a pass over the home defence and found Bruno Giordano on the left in front of goal but he went for it with his right foot instead of his left and did not find the power to beat Franco Mancini.
The game was by no means spectacular but it was lively, tense and hard. In the 34th minute Lazio manager Bob Lovati was sent off for excessive protests with the referee.
Giordano then tried to go solo, weaving his way through the Perugia midfield and at the edge of the box letting off a powerful but central strike. Half time Perugia 0 Lazio.
Perugia had attacked more, especially initially but Lazio had defended well and then grown into the game. Perugia so far had not found a way to activate their goal scorer Paolo Rossi.
The second half started in the same way as the first. Perugia pushed forward but Lazio stood firm. In the 57th minute the Grifone had a penalty appeal. From a Gianfranco Casarsa corner from the right, Paolo Dal Fiume on the far post headed back into the heart of the area where the locals claimed Lionello Manfredonia pulled down Rossi before he could jump. The referee however gestured to get on with it.
In the 65th minute Perugia took over their most threatening player so far, Goretti, and put on Daniele Tacconi.
As in the first half, after a period of difficulty Lazio showed their faces in the opposing half more often. Filippo Citterio went down the right and put a cross into the far post where Giordano let it bounce and then blasted a shot which Mancini did well to block and hold onto.
There followed more scrambles in Lazio's area, lots of fouls, minor scuffles and Lazio clearly starting to try and run down the clock.
In the 88th minute Vincenzo D'Amico replaced Renzo Garlaschelli probably as part of the time-wasting plan.
During the few minutes of injury time Pino Wilson got a second yellow card and was sent off. Whether it was for too blatant time wasting, dissent or both is unclear. The game was practically over anyway. Perugia 0 Lazio 0.
A good point for Lazio. The Biancocelesti had conceded little to the hosts and nothing to Rossi. Lazio had come to Perugia for a point and by fair or foul had achieved it. They still could not score in the city of chocolate but a point was sweet enough today.
More disappointing for Perugia who had rarely been dangerous and been frustrated by Lazio's defence and tactics.
Who played for Perugia
Mancini, Nappi, Ceccarini, Frosio, Della Martira, Dal Fiume, Goretti (65' Tacconi), Butti, Rossi, Casarsa, De Gradi
Substitutes: Malizia, Calloni
Manager: Castagner
Who played for Lazio
Cacciatori, Tassotti, Citterio, Wilson, Manfredonia, Manzoni, Garlaschelli (88' D'Amico), Montesi, Giordano, Zucchini, Viola
Manager: Lovati
Referee: Ballerini
Sources
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