Game 18, Serie B
Sunday, January 18, 1980
Stadio Menti, Vicenza
Vicenza Lazio 2-2
2-0 down after ten minutes, Lazio manage to equalise by the 15th minute.
After 15 games Lazio were top of the table with a one-point lead over Milan and four over third place (the first three were promoted). A long way to go yet but there was optimism. The Biancocelesti had won 7 and drawn 8 and had not lost yet. Chiodi had started playing in the beginning of November and had scored three goals.
Then came Lazio vs Milan, first game of 1981. The Rossoneri easily won 2-0. The shock probably instilled a doubt in the player’s mind and in the next game they lost at Cesena.
The match
Paolo Rossi in the days preceding the game had said that Lazio were not all that great and the Biancocelesti made sure not to contradict him in the beginning of the game.
In the first minute, Paolo Pochesci ridiculously conceded a free kick on the right. Paolo Rosi crossed, Claudio Vagheggi headed the ball towards the goal. It should have been a simple save for Aldo Nardin but the keeper first dropped the ball then as he fell to ground inadvertently kicked it in his own net. Ten minutes later Dario Sanguin tried to pass to Carlo Perrone in Lazio’s half, Vagheggi intercepted and flew towards Nardin who came out of his area rather rigidly. The future Lazio forward dribbled past him and it was 2-0 for the home team.
The Biancocelesti reacted and by the 15th minute it was 2-2. First Stefano Chiodi with a marvellous acrobatic volley in the 14th minute reduced the deficit, then Pochesci with a powerful shot 60 seconds later from the same position as Chiodi’s goal, equalised.
The 15-minute fireworks ended the game as neither team were willing to put the draw in peril. What followed was just boredom.
In the end a good point for the Biancocelesti even if we can only ask ourselves whether the glass is half empty or half full.
Who played for Vicenza
Bianchi, Catellani, Zanini (68' Tosetto), Leonarduzzi, Bombardi, Carrera, Dal Prà (68' Briaschi), Sandreani, Pagliari, Rosi, Vagheggi
Substitutes: Di Fusco, Erba, C. Perrone
Manager: Viciani
Who played for Lazio
Nardin, Spinozzi, Citterio, Perrone, Pochesci, Sanguin (67’ Manzoni), Viola, Bigon, Chiodi, Mastropasqua, Greco (72’ Albani)
Manager: Castagner
Referee: Angelelli
Goals: 1’ Nardin (og), 10’ Vagheggi, 14’ Chiodi, 15’ Pochesci
Sources
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