Lazio win derby in very last minute

Season 1978-79

Game 22, Serie A

Sunday, March 18, 1979

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Roma Lazio 1-2

A last second goal by Nicoli gave Lazio a historic victory

Ticket owned by Dag Jenkins, photo by Dag Jenkins

At the end of the first half of the fixture list Lazio were sixth with a UEFA Cup qualification still very possible. But they were not playing well.

In the game before the derby Lazio had beaten Ascoli 3-1 and continued to be sixth.

The match

This derby was very important for both teams as Lazio were trying to hold on to a UEFA Cup qualification and Roma trying to avoid relegation. In the first 25 minutes Lazio were completely absent. Bob Lovati had decided that Vincenzo D’Amico was to be on Francesco Rocca's tracks, to stop his runs down the left side, but this left Bruno Giordano having to fight against the entire Roma defence alone.

In the 11th minute Agostino Di Bartolomei took a free kick, Massimo Cacciatori saved into corner. Six minutes later the Roma player tried again on another free kick and this time it came off Ciccio Cordova for a classic own goal. The Lazio fans were not particularly happy with the former Roma skipper.

In the 20th minute Guido Ugolotti had a chance but his shot went high. Lazio finally woke up and in the 28th minute hit the woodwork with a Pino Wilson header off a D’Amico free kick. In the 33rd minute there was a great shot from Francesco Rocca and a marvellous save by Cacciatori. In the 42nd minute, D’Amico passed the ball to Giordano who dribbled past a Roma player and from 20 metres took a shot at goal. The post saved Roma and Cordova was unable to tap the ball in from a favourable position.

Things did not change in the second half. After 20 seconds Loris Boni’s volley from 25 metres saw another splendid save from Cacciatori followed by a Giordano shot just wide. In the 57th minute Rocca to Michele De Nadai (who will later play for Lazio in the early 1980s) but his shot was parried again by Cacciatori. A minute later, Lazio equalised. Luigi Martini to D’Amico who passed the ball to Fernando Viola. The Lazio midfielder dribbled past a few Roma players and from outside the box, but central, scored with the help of a slight deflection by Giancarlo De Sisti.

The game was now open to any result. In the 72nd minute Mauro Tassotti crossed in the box for Aldo Cantarutti but his shot was weak. Roma opened up in the attempt to go ahead, Lazio capitalised.

In the 88th minute D’Amico tried a shot from outside the box, the ball was blocked by Franco Peccenini, Aldo Nicoli was faster reacting than the Roma defenders and scored.

The last few minutes were very confused with confrontations between the players and a few scuffles. Paolo Ammoniaci replaced D’Amico in the 89th minute, was immediately kicked by Boni and after having asked referee Gino Menicucci if he had seen the incident, got sent off himself. The fastest red card in the history of football.

The match ended with the Roma players surrounding the ref asking for an improbable penalty, Rocca in tears and the Curva Sud in flames as the supporters from the wrong side of the Tiber set fire to the wooden seats. A nightmare derby for the Romanisti. It had started and continued with a huge and unforgettable banner hauled up in the Curva Nord, covering the whole scoreboard, depicting a taunting red and yellow B and now ended with the defeated "Cousins" burning their own Curva. A dream derby for all Laziali.

Lazio would not win another derby until January 15, 1989.

Who played for Roma

P.Conti, Maggiora, Rocca, Boni, Peccenini, Spinosi, De Nadai, Di Bartolomei, Pruzzo, De Sisti, Ugolotti (83' Scarnecchia)

Substitutes: Tancredi, Chinellato

Manager: Valcareggi.

Who played for Lazio

Cacciatori, Tassotti, Martini, Wilson, Manfredonia, Cordova, Cantarutti, Viola, Giordano, Nicoli, D’Amico (89’ Ammoniaci)