Piola and Lazio crush the devil
Two goals by the Piedmontese striker and one by Costa send Milan packing
Also on this day: September 13, 1987, Lazio Sambenedettese 2-0. Two first half goals by Monelli and Pin kick off promotion dream. Player of the day: Gabriele Pin
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finished 7th, first under Czech Wallter Alt (1-27) and then Hungarian József Viola. Top scorer was Silvio Piola with 21 goals (19 in Serie A).
This year the Magyar coach was kept on. The main new signings were midfielder Luigi Milano (Alessandria) and forwards Umberto Busani (Alessandria), Giovanni Costa (Vicenza) and Giovanni Riccardi (Alessandria). Leaving were midfielders Attilio Ferraris IV (Bari), Francesco Gabriotti (retiring), Odoacre Pardini (retiring) and forwards Antonio Bisigato (Ambrosiana- Inter), Anfilogino "Filó" Guarisi (Corinthians) and Virgilio Felice Levratto (Savona).
The game today on September 13 was the league opener.
Milan had finished 8th the previous season under Adolfo Baloncieri. They had drawn 2-2 away to Lazio and then beaten the Biancocelesti 5-0 in Milan.
This year Baloncieri had been confirmed. The main new arrivals were midfielders Enrico Rivolta (Napoli) and Egidio Capra (Fanfulla) plus forward Aldo Boffi (Seregno). Leaving were legendary keeper Dario Compiani (Sampierdarenese), midfielder Giulio Rossi (Sampierdarenese), prolific striker Pietro Arcari (Genova 1893) and forward Mario Romani (Palermo).
So, two teams who finished in similar positions the previous season on their league debuts for the 1936-37 season.
The match: Sunday, September 13, 1936, Stadio PNF, Rome
A warm but not hot mid-September day brought about 10,000 spectators to watch Lazio's league debut.
In the first half there was not much to get excited about. Milan were almost perfect defensively and controlled Lazio's attacks without much difficulty. Lazio looked slow and lacking in ideas and it was Milan who threatened more on the break despite having Giovanni Moretti sent off on the half hour mark for a foul on Giuseppe Baldo. A disappointing first half ended with Lazio 0 Milan 0.
Everything changed in the following forty-five minutes. In the 55th minute Lazio took a corner with Umberto Busani, the ball was cleared but came back to him so he put in another cross which the keeper, surrounded by players, mistimed allowing Silvio Piola to bicycle kick the ball into the net. Lazio 1 Milan 0.
One zero up and with an extra man Lazio started to dominate. Lazio had more chances and then doubled their lead in the 72nd minute. Bruno Camolese put a through pass to Piola who powered past two defenders and beat Vittore Martini with a low, well-placed shot. Lazio 2 Milan 0.
The third goal came five minutes later after a brilliant team effort. It involved four players, Camolese to Giovanni Riccardi, to Piola and finally to Giovanni Costa who dribbled past a defender, then cut inside and hammered an unstoppable shot which hit the inside of the post and went in. Lazio 3 Milan 0 and final score.
A fantastic debut for Lazio who were favoured by Milan's red card but in the second half played some excellent football.
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Viola
Who played for Milan
Martini, Perversi, Bonizzoni, Rigotti II, Bortoletti, Gianesello II, Capra II, Zidarich I, Moretti, Poggi II, Cossi
Manager: Baloncieri
Referee: Bertolio
Goals: 55' Piola, 72' Piola, 77' Costa
What happened next
Lazio had an excellent season finishing 2nd behind Bologna. The Biancocelesti won 17, drew 5 and lost 8, qualifying for the prestigious Central European Cup. Piola was top Serie A scorer with 21 league goals.
Milan changed manager in December with the arrival of Englishman William Garbutt (he had won 3 Scudetti with Genoa). The Rossoneri finished 4th after 13 wins (including Lazio 5-3), 10 draws and 7 defeats. The "Diavolo" reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia but were defeated by Genova 1893, 1-2 in a replay. Their top scorer was Aldo Boffi with 15 goals (12 in the league).
As mentioned, Bologna won their 4th title while Piedmont lost both Alessandria and Novara to Serie B.
Lazio 1936-37
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 30 | 17 | 5 | 8 | 56 |
Coppa Italia | 1 | - | - | 1 | - |
Mitropa Cup | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
Total | 35 | 19 | 6 | 10 | 68 |
Top appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Mitropa Cup |
Baldo | 35 | 30 | 1 | 4 |
Busani | 34 | 29 | 1 | 4 |
Monza | 34 | 30 | - | 4 |
Zacconi | 34 | 30 | - | 4 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Mitropa Cup |
Piola | 28 | 21 | - | 7 |
Busani | 17 | 15 | - | 2 |
Costa | 5 | 4 | - | 1 |
Riccardi | 5 | 5 | - | - |
Camolese | 4 | 4 | - | - |
Let's talk about Giovanni Costa
Giovanni Costa was born in Vicenza, on August 19, 1917.
He began his career with his hometown club in 1935 in Serie C. The "Lane" went close to promotion finishing 2nd under future Lazio manager József Viola. Costa played 25 league games with an impressive 17 goals.
The following year when the Magyar came to Rome to coach Lazio, he brought Costa with him. In his first year Costa played 22 league games with 4 goals (Milan, Novara, Lucchese, Liguria), 1 game in the Coppa Italia and 6 in the Central European Cup with 2 goals (Hungaria MTK, Ferencváros). Lazio reached the final of the prestigious European tournament but lost to Ferencváros 6-9 on aggregate.
In 1937-38 Lazio finished 8th and Costa played 17 league games with 2 goals (Torino, Atalanta) and 1 game in the Coppa Italia.
In 1938-39 Viola was replaced by Luigi Allemandi after 19 matches and Lazio finished 10th. They did beat Roma 2-0 away in Testaccio but then lost the home derby 1-3. Costa played less, making 10 league appearances with no goals.
The 1939-40 season was his last in Rome. Lazio had a good season under Hungarian Géza Kertész and finished 4th. They won the home derby 1-0 but Costa only played 4 league games.
In 1940 he was sold to Spezia in Serie B. He stayed four seasons playing 107 league games and scoring 41 goals. The Spezzini finished 12th, 6th twice and then won the National League as VVFF Spezia (Fire brigade as a way to get around war suspension) in the War League of 1943-44.
In 1945-46 he spent a year with Biellese in Serie B-C and won promotion to Serie B. He played 22 league games with 6 goals.
In 1946-47 he was back with Spezia in Serie B. He stayed another three seasons playing 104 league games with 33 goals. The "Aquilotti" finished 3rd, 4th and 18th.
He stayed on in the 1950's in which Spezia gradually fell down various divisions and went through a merger with Arsenal Spezia. It was the end of top-level football for Costa who continued playing until 1956 when at 39 he retired.
Costa was a forward who had a good playing career. He is Spezia's all-time top scorer with 76 goals. He won the National League with Spezia in 1944 although they were technically VVFF Spezia.
At Lazio he played 61 games with 8 goals and in his first two years especially was an excellent attacking support for goal machine Silvio Piola.
Giovanni Costa died in Vicenza on July 28, 1984.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Mitropa Cup |
1936-37 | 27 (5) | 22 (4) | 1 | 4 (1) |
1937-38 | 20 (3) | 17 (2) | 1 | 2 (1) |
1938-39 | 10 | 10 | - | - |
1939-40 | 4 | 4 | - | - |
Total | 61 (8) | 53 (6) | 2 | 6 (2) |
Sources
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