Game 1, Serie A
Sunday, September 9, 1990
Stadio delle Alpi, Turin
Torino Lazio 0-0
The expression "un punto per uno non fa male a nessuno" (a point each harms no-one) could possibly sum up the goalless draw
Today was the first Serie A match.
Both teams had a good pre-season with promising performances. So, two enthusiastic teams with ambition, keen to get off to a good start.
The match
A crowd of 35,000 came out to watch Torino on their return to the top flight after a year in Serie B. Toro were without injured defenders Silvano Benedetti and Enrico Annoni plus midfielder Gianluca Sordo, while Lazio were missing midfielders Pedro Troglio and Sergio Domini. The Romans had a young debutant, Roberto Bacci, in midfield who had actually come through the Torino Academy.
The game was balanced from the start. Torino attacked more but Lazio were very compact and well organized. The home side had a low Muller shot saved into corner and a Martin Vázquez shot went close while Lazio had a Karl-Heinz Riedle header go wide. From then on, the defences constantly got the better of the attacks but the game was lively despite the lack of clear chances. The biggest came in the 41st minute for the home side, on a Haris Skoro corner Roberto Policano anticipated the defence and headed onto the crossbar. Halftime, Torino 0 Lazio 0. A tactical but intense game so far, the Granata with the only really dangerous opportunity.
During the break Torino replaced midfielder Luca Fusi with a more offensive Francesco Romano while Lazio remained unchanged. In the second half Lazio started more positively. Claudio Sclosa freed himself cleverly on the left and put in a low cross but Riedle, challenged by a defender, was unable to get enough power on his touch to beat Luca Marchegiani. The German then had another low central effort saved by the future Lazio keeper.
Torino responded with Martin Vázquez but his left footed shot from just outside the box took a slight deflection and went wide.
In the 59th minute came a potential game changer. Pasquale Bruno, who had already been booked in the first half, committed an intentional and ridiculous foul on Ruben Sosa. The two were running for a ball, which Benedetti already had covered, when Bruno looked up at the Uruguayan, took his aim and elbowed him in the face. A blatant and completely unnecessary action which would have deserved a direct red anyway (and many games suspension nowadays).
In ten men "Il Toro" obviously pulled back and Lazio took control of the proceedings. In the 65th minute Sosa had a good opportunity from the edge of the area but with his wrong foot and the ball shaved the post. Then Sosa put Riedle through but from a difficult angle and surrounded by defenders his shot was deflected into corner.
Lazio went for a winner but with caution so as to never risk being caught on the break. The final score of 0-0 was all in all met with satisfaction by both sides. Torino had resisted the last half hour with a man less and Lazio had earned an away point against an in-form and competitive team. It was all things considered a fair result.
For Torino good indications from the defence, despite their absences, and midfielder Gianluigi Lentini while Martin Vázquez had shown only occasional flashes of his class and the attacking duo Muller-Skoro had disappointed.
For Lazio a solid performance in defence, authoritative in midfield with Gabriele Pin, Sclosa and debutant Bacci while the attack had shown its future potential with more playing time.
Who played for Torino
L. Marchegiani, Bruno, D. Baggio, Mussi, Cravero, Policano, Lentini, Fusi (46' Romano), Muller, Martin Vázquez, Skoro (60' Carillo)
Substitutes: Tancredi, Zago, Bresciani
Manager: Mondonico
Who played for Lazio
Substitutes: Orsi, Nardecchia, Lampugnani, Saurini
Manager: Zoff
Referee: Magni
Sources
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