Good start
Thanks to a great game from Nanni and a Chinaglia goal, Lazio start the season with a win
Also on this day: September 26, 1999: Parma Lazio 1-2. The Biancocelesti win at Parma thanks to an incredible goal from Almeyda. Lazio Hero of the day: Matias Almeyda
The season so far
The disastrous 1970-71 season had culminated in a relegation to Serie B for the Biancocelesti. It was a devastating and unexpected fall for the club so President Umberto Lenzini, on a suggestion from sporting director Antonio Sbardella, chose a young manager called Tommaso Maestrelli who had done well in Serie C and Serie B with Reggina and Foggia.
The first problem the club had to face was the fact that Giorgio Chinaglia demanded to be sold. He refused to play in Serie B and was not entirely happy with the change of management. Maestrelli convinced him to stay.
Two fundamental future players joined Lazio in the summer transfer window. Luigi Martini, from Livorno, and Giancarlo Oddi returning from his loan spell at Massese. Lazio also signed goalkeeper Claudio Bandoni (Fiorentina) and midfielder Rino Gritti on loan from Lecco. Rino Marchesi, Nello Governato and Giancarlo Morrone left Lazio as free agents as well as Ferruccio Mazzola and Michelangelo Sulfaro on loan to Fiorentina.
In the November transfer window Lazio would then sign Carlo Facchin and Giambattista Moschino, returning after nine years, plus Alessandro Abbondanza on loan from Napoli with Pierpaolo Manservisi going in the opposite direction. Arrigo Dolso also left (on loan to Varese).
In August, Lazio managed to top their group in the first phase of the Coppa Italia. The first match of the season was the derby, which Lazio won 1-0 with a Chinaglia goal and at least four miraculous saves from Bandoni.
Today was the first game of the campionato.
The match: Sunday, September 26, 1971, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio and Brescia were considered among the favourites for promotion so the Biancocelesti needed to start well. And they did. In the first minute of the game Giorgio Chinaglia had already sent a missile on a free kick towards the Brescia goal which Ernesto Galli was forced to save into corner. After a wasted opportunity by Gigi Martini, the Biancocelesti scored. In the 20th minute Giuseppe Massa managed to avoid the ball from going out and passed to Franco Nanni who, after having dribbled past Pietro Pittofratti, sent a long cross into the box that Chinaglia with a diving header put into the back of the net.
Brescia reacted but Claudio Bandoni was exceptional to prevent a Virginio De Paoli free kick and a Fausto Inselvini volley from going into the goal. Towards the end of the first half Lazio had numerous chances to score but first a Chinaglia free kick was saved by the keeper, then Long John hit the side of the post, followed by two shots from favourable positions from Mario Facco and Pino Wilson which deserved better luck.
In the second half Lazio slowed down and Brescia took control of the match but were only dangerous in the 58th minute when Pierluigi Cencetti forced Bandoni to make a miraculous save. Chinaglia and Massa had further chances to score but the game ended 1-0. A good start for the Biancocelesti.
Who played for Lazio
Bandoni, Facco, Oddi, Wilson, Papadopulo, Martini, Manservisi, Massa, Chinaglia, Nanni, Fortunato (76’ Gritti)
Substitute: Di Vincenzo
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Brescia
E. Galli, Rogora, Cagni, Cencetti, Busi, Gasparini, Tedoldi, Inselvini, De Paoli (33' Damonti), Pittofrati, E. Salvi
Substitute: D. Facchetti
Manager: Bassi
Referee: Panzino
Goal: 20’ Chinaglia
What happened next
In the campionato Lazio struggled a little bit in the beginning even if they were never far off the promotion zone. After ten games they were fifth but then three consecutive wins (Livorno away, Catania and Perugia at home) took them to second place which they kept until mid-January when a loss at Foggia sent them down to third place. That is where they were at the end of the first half of the season but just one point behind leaders Palermo and Ternana.
In the next five games Lazio were a little too inconsistent and the top two teams pulled away and had a five-point lead over the Biancocelesti who had been caught up by Reggiana. After game 28 Maestrelli and Co dropped from the promotion zone and were fourth but recovered in the next game by winning the crucial game against Reggiana. This was a confidence booster and by the end of April they were joint second with Palermo and one point behind leaders Ternana. A loss at Perugia and a home draw with Taranto meant that with five games to the end of the season the table read Ternana 43, Palermo 42, Lazio 41, Reggiana and Como 40.
Game 34 of the season saw Lazio beat Modena, Palermo win at home against Brescia, Como crush Sorrento and the other two draw. Palermo and Ternana 44, Lazio 43, Come 42, Reggiana 41.
In the next round, Palermo lost to Novara, Lazio drew at Reggio Calabria, Ternana won at Sorrento, Como drew and Reggiana won. Ternana 46, Lazio and Palermo 44, Reggiana and Como 43.
The third last game saw Lazio win a crucial tie against Foggia, Ternana beat Reggiana and draws for Palermo and Como. Ternana 48, Lazio 46, Palermo 45, Como 44, Reggiana 43.
The very important penultimate games saw Lazio win at Genoa, Como at Novara, Palermo at home to Cesena and losses for Ternana and Reggiana, the latter were now out of the race. Lazio and Ternana topped Serie B with 48 points, Palermo were on 47, Como 46.
All Lazio needed was a draw at Bari in the last match to secure promotion. And this is exactly what happened. The Biancocelesti were back in the top tier after just one year of purgatory.
Wilson was the player with most appearances this season (48), Chinaglia the top goal scorer (26 goals)
Lazio 1971-72
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals Scored |
Serie B | 38 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 48 |
Coppa Italia | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
Total | 48 | 23 | 15 | 10 | 61 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Wilson | 48 | 38 | 10 |
Massa | 44 | 38 | 6 |
Bandoni | 43 | 36 | 7 |
Martini | 42 | 34 | 8 |
Chinaglia | 41 | 34 | 7 |
Top goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Chinaglia | 26 | 21 | 5 |
Massa | 12 | 12 | - |
Abbondanza | 7 | 7 | - |
Nanni | 3 | - | 3 |
What happened in Serie B 1971-72
In the previous season Mantova had won the Serie B championship with Bari, Atalanta and Catanzaro second, forced to a three-team playoff to determine the other two promotion slots. Atalanta had won both ties and Catanzaro had beaten Bari.
This year eyes were on Bari and Brescia who had just missed out on promotion the previous year plus the teams that had been relegated from Serie A: Foggia, Lazio and Catania. But in the end promotion was a battle between Ternana, the Biancocelesti, Como, Palermo and Reggiana.
September-October
Serie B started late in September and by the end of October Umbria was leading with Perugia and Ternana. But as everybody knows, Serie B is a long tournament and anything could still happen. In the early matches, Ternana beat Lazio who in turn beat Como.
Perugia 9, Ternana 9, Lazio 8, Palermo 8, Bari 8, Taranto 8, Reggiana 7, Cesena 7, Brescia 6, Monza 6, Reggina 6, Catania 6, Novara 6, Como 5, Foggia 5, Livorno 5, Genoa 4, Sorrento 3, Arezzo 2, Modena 2
November
In the four November games, Palermo caught up with Ternana but it was all very close with 12 teams in four points. Lazio drew with Palermo and lost to Reggiana.
Palermo 14, Ternana 14, Reggiana 13, Taranto 13, Lazio 12, Perugia 12, Catania 12, Cesena 12, Bari 11, Brescia 10, Reggina 10, Novara 10, Como 9, Monza 9, Foggia 8, Livorno 8, Arezzo 6, Genoa 6, Modena 6, Sorrento 5
December
In December, Ternana took the solitary lead of Serie B followed by Lazio. Lower down Modena and Sorrento were in a spot of bother. Ternana drew with Como but beat Palermo. The Sicilians also lost at Como but beat Reggiana.
Ternana 21, Lazio 19, Taranto 18, Reggiana 17, Palermo 17, Bari 16, Perugia 16, Cesena 16, Como 15, Novara 15, Catania 14, Reggina 14, Brescia 13*, Foggia 12, Monza 11, Genoa 11, Livorno 11, Arezzo 9*, Modena 7, Sorrento 6
* One game in hand
January
In the five games of the new year, Palermo moved level with Ternana, with Lazio in third place. There was already a slight gap with fourth placed Reggiana and Perugia. Ternana drew at Reggiana who won at Como.
Palermo 26, Ternana 26, Lazio 25, Reggiana 23, Perugia 23, Bari 22, Cesena 22, Taranto 21, Como 20, Foggia 19, Novara 19, Catania 19, Brescia 18, Genoa 17, Reggina 17, Monza 16, Arezzo 15, Livorno 14, Modena 11, Sorrento 7
February
Palermo and Ternana still leading, Lazio had slipped to fourth. Big gap now for the bottom two Modena and Sorrento. The Biancocelesti drew with the Umbrians.
Palermo 32, Ternana 30, Reggiana 27, Lazio 26, Perugia 25, Cesena 25, Como 24, Foggia 23, Bari 23, Taranto 23, Novara 23, Brescia 22, Catania 22, Genoa 21, Arezzo 19, Reggina 19, Monza 18, Livorno 16, Modena 11, Sorrento 11
March
The three March games saw Ternana back in the lead ahead of Palermo. The battle for third included five teams with Lazio slightly ahead. Modena and Sorrento reduced their deficit on Livorno but these three clubs really needed to start getting important points if they wanted to avoid relegation. The Biancocelesti drew with Como.
Ternana 37, Palermo 35, Lazio 32, Reggiana 31, Bari 30, Como 30, Cesena 30, Perugia 28, Genoa 28, Novara 27, Catania 27, Taranto 27, Foggia 26, Brescia 24, Arezzo 23, Reggina 21, Monza 21, Livorno 16, Sorrento 14, Modena 14
April
Lazio managed to reach second place in April’s five games and were now just one point behind Ternana. At the bottom Sorrento started to climb up but perhaps it was too late. The Biancocelesti drew with Palermo who also drew with Ternana, but lost to Reggiana.
Ternana 41, Lazio 40, Palermo 40, Reggiana 38, Como 38, Bari 35, Cesena 35, Perugia 35, Foggia 33, Catania 33, Genoa 32, Novara 31, Brescia 29, Taranto 29, Arezzo 28, Reggina 25, Monza 23, Sorrento 19, Livorno 18, Modena 18
May
With the May games there were now three games to the end of the season with five teams fighting for promotion. Ternana had an edge over the others with Lazio, Palermo, Reggiana and Como all within one point fighting for the other two places. Ternana drew at Como who also drew at Palermo. Down below Sorrento and Modena were practically doomed for Serie C, Livorno were also very close to relegation.
Ternana 46, Lazio 44, Palermo 44, Reggiana 43, Como 43, Cesena 39, Perugia 39, Bari 38, Foggia 38, Genoa 37, Catania 36, Novara 36, Taranto 35, Brescia 33, Arezzo 32, Reggina 27, Monza 26, Livorno 24, Sorrento 20, Modena 20
June
In the beginning of June, Ternana beat Reggiana, Como and Palermo drew and Lazio beat Foggia. Hence with two games to the end: Ternana 48, Lazio 46, Palermo 45, Como 44, Reggiana 43.
In the penultimate game Lazio beat Genoa, Ternana lost, Como won away at Novara, Palermo beat Cesena, Reggiana lost to Sorrento and were no longer in contention. Lazio and Ternana were on 48 points, Palermo 47, Como 46. The Biancocelesti and Umbrians needed just one more point for Serie A. Livorno joined Sorrento and Modena in Serie C.
In the last game Ternana beat Novara and won the Serie B championship, Lazio drew at Bari and secured second place, Palermo drew at Sorrento but as Como lost at Reggiana, they too clinched Serie A.
Giorgio Chinaglia was top scorer with 21 goals.
Final table: Ternana 50, Lazio 49, Palermo 48, Como 46, Reggiana 45, Cesena 43, Perugia 43, Catania 41, Foggia 41, Genoa 41, Bari 40, Brescia 38, Taranto 36, Novara 36, Arezzo 33, Reggina 29, Monza 28, Livorno 26, Sorrento 25, Modena 22
Sources
Comments