Sampdoria Lazio 0-2

Season 1974-75

Game 18, Serie A

Sunday, February 16, 1975

Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa

Sampdoria Lazio 0-2

Lazio dominate in Genoa and win thanks to a Chinaglia brace

In Serie A, the Biancocelesti started well winning the first three games, but then they lost the lead with two points in the next three. By the end of the year they were second, three points behind Juventus. The first match of 1975 was Lazio vs Juve and the Biancocelesti won but the three-point deficit was re-established at the end of the first half of the season with a loss at Ascoli.

In the first two games of the second part of the season, the two teams followed suit: goalless draw at home for Juve against Bologna, same for Lazio at Cesena; victory in Milan for the Bianconeri, win at home for the Biancocelesti against Vicenza. Both teams today had to face clubs who were fighting to stay in Serie A: Juve at home to Varese and Lazio in Genoa against Sampdoria.

The match

The difference between the two teams was enormous as Sampdoria were in great difficulty and Lazio were way too strong for them.

In the 10th minute Giancarlo Oddi-Gigi Martini one-two on the right, ball to Giorgio Chinaglia whose shot shaved the crossbar. Nine minutes later Mario Frustalupi passed to Roberto Badiani who crossed into the box for Chinaglia, back to the goal. Long John turned around and with a left footed shot sent a missile towards the goal that Massimo Cacciatori could do nothing about.

Lazio were dominating but Sampdoria almost equalised in the 30th minute. Loris Boni crossed, Pietro Ghedin completely missed the ball, Andrea Prunecchi passed to Mario Maraschi who had an open goal chance but he shot over the crossbar.

The old saying that after you miss a clear opportunity the other team scores, is exactly what happened three minutes later. Free kick three metres from the penalty area, Frustalupi touched the ball to Chinaglia, big whack, Samp 0 Lazio 2.

In the 43rd minute Chinaglia almost made it three with a bicycle kick a-la Silvio Piola. Ball wide but applause from the entire stadium.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first. In the 55th minute a Chinaglia shot was saved into corner by Cacciatori. After a Natalino Fossati attempt which was too high, in the 74th minute Prunecchi tried a shot which danced very close to the goal line before going out. Ten minutes later Giorgio Repetto sent the ball high from a favourable position and in the 85th minute Paolo Franzoni hit the top of the crossbar.

All very easy for Lazio who remained three points behind Juventus who beat Varese 3-0.

Who played for Sampdoria

Cacciatori, Arnuzzo, Arecco (51' Fossati), Lippi, Prini, Rossinelli, Repetto, Boni L., Maraschi, Valente, Prunecchi

Substitutes: Bandoni, Magistrelli

Manager: Corsini

Who played for Lazio

Pulici, Ghedin, Martini, Wilson, Oddi, Badiani (68’ Nanni), Franzoni, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi, D’Amico