Game 10, Serie B
Sunday, November 15, 1982
Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa
Sampdoria Lazio 1-1
Despite taking the lead with 15 minutes to go Lazio come back from Genoa satisfied with a point
Lazio had got off to a sluggish start with 1 point in the first 3 games but then picked up with 3 consecutive wins. Then came two more defeats, but a week earlier Lazio had won 1-0 away against Pistoiese. The Biancocelesti were currently joint 9th on 9 points with four other teams including today's opponents Sampdoria. The A zone however was still only three points away (but so was the C zone the other way)
So, an uncertain clash today between two ambitious teams who had not started well and were on the same points.
The match
A good crowd of about 30,000 gathered at the old Marassi stadium.
Sampdoria had no absences while Lazio were without midfielders Roberto Badiani and Alberto Bigon.
It was an unspectacular game from the start. Lazio sided a defensive line-up, an eleven clearly ready for battle to clinch a point.
Lazio defended grittily for long periods. Sampdoria attacked but had great difficulty creating anything remotely dangerous.
For Lazio the defence was rock solid while Fernando Viola and Michele De Nadai were excellent defensively in midfield. Lazio rarely went forward but it was usually on solitary Claudio Vagheggi initiatives. Half time came with a frustrated home side and a satisfied Lazio who had been successful in muffling Sampdoria's moves in the last twenty metres.
The second half continued in the same pattern. A lot of territorial superiority and ball possession with numerous high balls into Lazio's area but little else.
In the 67th minute the Blucerchiati tried changing something, on came striker Ezio Sella (and Roma fan) for midfielder Giorgio Roselli.
In the 76th minute Lazio took the lead. Dario Sanguin floated in a freekick from the right and De Nadai headed over the keeper into the far top hand corner. Sampdoria 0 Lazio 1.
The lead was short lived however. In the 79th Alessandro Scanziani rose above the defenders from a Giancarlo Galdiolo cross and headed in the equaliser. Sampdoria 1 Lazio 1.
Both sides then made substitutions, the hosts threw on midfielder Paolo Rosi for defender Salvatore Vullo while Lazio protected themselves with debutant defender Vincenzo Mirra for midfielder Stefano Ferretti.
Things became even more complicated for Lazio two minutes later. The referee judged a Sanguin foul on fresh replacement Rosi to be excessively dangerous and sent him off.
Lazio spent the last ten minutes in the trenches but resisted with a solid defensive performance and brought home a precious point. Final score Sampdoria 1 Lazio 1.
Lazio were satisfied with the away draw. It could have been a win but that would possibly have been too much to ask. The Biancocelesti had battled hard but rarely been dangerous up front with Walter Speggiorin having one of his many off days.
Who played for Sampdoria
P. Conti, Ferron, Vullo (81' Rosi), P. Sala, Guerrini, Galdiolo, Garritano, Scanziani, Zanone, Bellotto, Roselli (67' Sella)
Substitutes: Bistazzoni, L. Pellegrini, Manzo
Manager: Ulivieri
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Chiarenza, Spinozzi, Mastropasqua, Pighin, De Nadai, Viola, Sanguin, Vagheggi, Ferretti (81' Mirra), Speggiorin
Substitutes: Marigo, Benini, D'Amico, Garlaschelli
Manager: Castagner
Referee: Lo Bello
Goals: 76' De Nadai, 79' Scanziani
Red card: 81' Sanguin (L)
Sources
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