Good point against a difficult opponent
The Biancocelesti play well and get a point at Bologna
Also on this day: September 20, 2009, Catania Lazio 1-1. Lazio goes under in the first half but is saved by Cruz in the second. Player of the day: Riccardo Perpetuini
The season so far
The previous season Lazio finished 11th but had won the first trophy of its long history. In the final of the Coppa Italia the Biancocelesti beat Fiorentina 1-0 thanks to a Maurillio Prini goal.
In the summer transfer window of 1959 Lazio could not really do very much due to the financial difficulty the club was in. The most important signing was Orlando Rozzoni from Spal, who would become a legendary player for the Biancocelesti. Leaving Lazio were Renzo Burini (Cesena) and Carlo Tagnin (Bari).
Today’s game was the first of the season.
The match: Sunday, September 20, 1959, Stadio Comunale, Bologna
Bologna started very strongly and after just five minutes were ahead. Hector Demarco to Romano Fogli who crossed into the box and Sergio Campana kneed the ball in, surprising Idilio Cei. The Rossoblu insisted looking to double their score. In the 26th minute Ezio Pascutti managed to beat Cei but not Adelmo Eufemi who with a flying intervention was able to clear the ball off the line.
At this point Lazio woke up and tried for an equaliser. They put pressure on the Bologna defence and in the 41st minute scored. Bruno Franzini took a free kick, ball to Amos Mariani who was quick to pass to Humberto Tozzi. His curling shot was deflected by Giovanni Malich and beat Anselmo Giorcelli. Bologna 1 Lazio 1 at the end of the first half.
In the second half a better organised Lazio controlled the game but in the 62nd minute Cei was forced to save a Gino Pivatelli powerful shot. In the 75th minute Eufemi was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Eugenio Fascetti, but the Biancoclesti dug in deep and salvaged the draw.
Good start to the season.
Who played for Bologna
Giorcelli, Rota, Pavinato, Mialich, Greco, Fogli, Pascutti, De Marco, Pivatelli, Campana, Fascetti
Manager: Allasio
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Bernardini
Referee: Campanati
Goals: 5’ Campana, 41’ Mialich (og)
What happened next
The beginning of the season was promising and Lazio in the first four games won 2 and drew two. But then a heavy defeat in the derby, 3-0, and a loss at home against Juventus in reality showed that the Biancoclelesti were probably going to have a poor year. They also lost 5-0 at home to Fiorentina. At the end of the first half of the season Lazio had 16 points, four above the relegation zone.
The beginning of the second half of the campionato was even worse with six consecutive losses. Then a win at home against Napoli, a draw away to Atalanta and a win against Palermo at the Olimpico allowed Lazio to distance themselves from the bottom. With three games to go Lazio were 14th, one point ahead of Alessandria and 2 in front of Palermo. The Biancocelesti managed to win against Genoa away and Padova at home and avoid relegation in the penultimate match.
A very disappointing season. Lazio struggled to score goals, only 32, and some players, such as Humberto Tozzi, underperformed.
However, in Coppa Italia Lazio managed to reach the semi-final after beating Bologna away in extra time. They however lost against Juventus in Turin and would go on to play the third place final in September (which they won against Torino).
Janich was the player with most appearances (36) and Rozzoni the top goal scorer (14).
Lazio 1959-60
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 32 |
Coppa Italia | 3 | 3 | - | - | 5 |
Total | 37 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 37 |
Top five apperances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Janich | 36 | 33 | 3 |
Franzini | 34 | 33 | 1 |
Carradori | 28 | 27 | 1 |
Prini | 28 | 27 | 1 |
Molino | 27 | 26 | 1 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Rozzoni | 14 | 13 | 1 |
Bizzarri | 4 | 4 | - |
Carradori | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Pozzan | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Visentin | 3 | 3 | - |
Let’s talk about Franco Janich
Francesco Ianich, better known as Franco Janich, was born in Udine on March 27, 1937. He started playing with Spilimbergo and then in 1956 moved to Atalanta where he debuted in Serie A on September 16 1956. Two years later he moved to Lazio.
He immediately won the Coppa Italia and stayed at the club for three years becoming captain. He was a very elegant and technical defender, probably among the best ever to have played for the Biancocelesti. In his three years at the club he played 93 games in Serie A and 10 in Coppa Italia.
In 1962 he moved to Bologna and became a pillar of the Rossoblu defence. He stayed 11 years with 376 appearances (8th all time for Bologna), winning a scudetto in 1963-64, a Coppa Italia in 1969-70 and a Mitropa Cup in 1961.
In 1972-73 he moved to Lucchese in Serie C and then retired. In his entire career he was never sent off and never scored, but that was not his job.
He played six games for Italy. His first was in the infamous Cile Italy 2-0 at the World Cup of 1962 with some of the worst refereeing ever. His last was the other infamous Italy vs North Korea game in the 1966 World Cup that Italy lost.
After he retired he became General Director of Napoli from 1972 to 1976 and then Sports Director for Como. He returned to Lazio as Sports Director in 1978 and stayed until the arrival of Luciano Moggi in 1980. He then worked for Bari for eight years.
At Lazio he was highly regarded and loved by the fans. He never forgot Lazio and always followed the club with affection. He died in Nemi, near Rome, where he had settled, on December 2, 2019.
Lazio Career
Season | Appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1958-59 | 36 | 32 | 4 |
1959-60 | 37 | 33 | 4 |
1960-61 | 30 | 28 | 2 |
Total | 103 | 93 | 10 |
Sources
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