Miracle draw

Updated: Oct 4

Season 1983-84

Game 29, Serie A

Sunday, February 26, 1984

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Roma Lazio 2-2

The Biancocelesti were two up after 24 minutes, but Roma equalised also thanks to Manfredonia's sending off. After that, they managed to hold off the Giallorossi attacks and clinch a well-deserved and much needed point.

The first game in Serie A was a disaster. Verona hammered Lazio with four goals and only a late Michael Laudrup brace disguised a bad defeat. The next game at home was a triumph: 3-0 against Inter. But in the next ten matches the Biancocelesti won only two (2-1 against Avellino and 3-0 Catania), drew two (both in Genoa) and lost six, including the derby. Lazio were second from last and Morrone was sacked. Former player Paolo Carosi was called up and after a controversial draw at home against Udinese, the Biancocelesti went to Ascoli on December 31. There, Antonio Bogoni with a killer tackle broke Bruno Giordano’s leg.

Lazio fell into despair, losing the Ascoli match as well as the next one at home against Pisa.

The Biancocelesti had only nine points after the first half of the season. Carosi realised that he had to do something and he put his faith in the players with greater experience. Life without probably one of the best centre forwards in Europe would not be easy and there was no backup plan. At this point Vincenzo D’Amico and Lionello Manfredonia took matters into their own hands and stepped up to lead the team.

Lazio started earning points. In the first five games of the second half of the season they beat Genoa and Sampdoria at home and drew against Verona at home and Inter away (thanks to a Walter Zenga howler).

Next game, the derby. A very, very difficult match. Roma, reigning champions, were joint second with Torino, four points behind leaders Juventus.

The match

Lazio started the game really well. In the ninth minute there was a free kick for the Biancocelesti on the right, a little far out. D’Amico took it, the ball hit Agostino Di Bartolomei, last man on the left of the wall, and beat Franco Tancredi. The deflection was a minor one, but the Roma goalkeeper seemed unprepared for the shot.

Roma reacted and sent a number of crosses into the box but Fernando Orsi was ready and managed to parry a Toninho Cerezo header in the 17th minute followed by another from Roberto Pruzzo three minutes later. In the 24th minute another surprise. Gabriele Podavini entered the box on the right and was tripped up by Sebino Nela. Penalty for the Biancocelesti and D’Amico made it 2-0.

Incredulity from fans on both sides. Never would have they imagined this score before the match. Roma put their foot on the accelerator. Three minutes after the penalty Aldo Maldera on the left managed to beat Orsi but not Gabriele Filisetti who saved Lazio, clearing very close to the goal line.

Pruzzo then claimed to have been fouled by Mauro Della Martira in the box but Luigi Agnolin was not convinced. An almost identical foul involving both protagonists took place in the 41st minute. Bruno Conti crossed into the middle from the left, Della Martira put his hand on the Pruzzo's back, who had anticipated him and the Roma centre forward collapsed to the ground. The ref this time gave the Giallorossi the penalty and Di Bartolomei reduced the deficit.

At the beginning of the second half, Manfredonia ruthlessly hacked Conti down with a very dangerous tackle and was quite rightly sent off. Marvellous theatrics by the Roma player by the way who looked as if he would never play again, only to promptly bounce up once Lio was shown the red card.

Lazio already in dire straits and down to ten men could do little to prevent Roma from equalising. In the 53rd minute Massimo Piscedda slipped close to the box on the right, Ciccio Graziani crossed, Orsi tried to clear but the ball reached Cerezo who scored.

At this point everybody was expecting a Roma onslaught. But this never happened. Not only, nothing much else happened in the match. Lazio controlled the game and brought back a well-deserved and important point. Roma had to say goodbye to the scudetto as Juventus won the Turin derby and had now a five-point lead.

Who played for Roma

Tancredi, Nela, Oddi, Righetti, Falcao, Maldera, B. Conti, Cerezo, Pruzzo, Di Bartolomei, Graziani

Substitutes: Malgioglio, Nappi, Strukelj, Chierico, F. Vincenzi

Manager: Liedholm

Who played for Lazio

Orsi, Della Martira, Filisetti, Piscedda, Batista, Podavini, Vinazzani, Manfredonia, D’Amico (81’ Piraccini), Laudrup, Marini (57’ Cupini)