April 13, 1947: Lazio - Bologna 3-1
- Dag Jenkins
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Pure oxygen
Lazio conquer two important points with convincing win over Bologna
The season so far
The previous season, for the first time since 1929, the league had been divided into two groups; Alta Italia (for the Northern teams) and Centro-Sud Italia (Centre-South). The top four in each group then played against each other for the Scudetto (won by Torino).
Lazio had not qualified for the final stage, coming 7th in the Centre-South group. A disappointing season in which they had changed manager twice; from Dino Canestri to Salvador Gualtieri (player/manager) and finally Tony Cargnelli. The 1946-1947 season was again a single national league.
This season the Austrian Cargnelli had been confirmed, but there had been some changes to the squad. New faces were: defender Luigi Cassano (Alessandria), midfielders Enrique Flamini (Cruzeiro), Mario Magrini (Pro Gorizia), Luciano Ramella (Como) and forward Bruno Ispiro (Genoa). Leaving the capital were defender Aldo De Pierro (Sora), midfielder Guido Manfrè (Siracusa) and forwards Petar Manola (Olympique Lyonnais) and Ferrero Tossio (Ternana).
This season, after a winning start away at Bari, they had then lost the next three (including derby 0-3). Since then Lazio had won 7 (including Brescia 6-3, Sampdoria 4-0 at home), drawn 6 (including derby 0-0 and recent 1-1 at Sampdoria) and lost 10 (including Bologna 1-3). Lazio were currently in joint 17th place, with Inter and Fiorentina on 22 points. They were only one point above the last relegation slot (Venezia on 21). A worrying situation.
Bologna had finished 6th in the Alta Italia Serie A (W11, D4, L11). They had started with former Lazio Alexander Popovic (1-13) and finished with duo Angelo Schiavo and Pietro Genovesi (14-26). The Rossoblu then won the Coppa Alta Italia (for the clubs excluded from the national finals) beating Novara 6-2 on aggregate. The top scorer was Bruno Arcari with 9 league goals.
This season the manager was another former Lazio manager, József Viola. The main new players were goalkeeper Gino Vasirani (Reggiana), defenders Luigi Spadoni (Genoa) and Guglielmo Giovannini (Amatori Bologna), midfielder Béla Sárosi (Ferencváros) plus forwards Sauro Taiti (Pistoiese), Carlo Alberto Bonaretti (Carpi), Alberto Galassi (Palermo) and Vilmos Sipos (Ferencváros).
Leaving Bologna were defender Renato Pastori (Salernitana) midfielder and future Lazio, Paolo Todeschini (Atalanta) plus forwards Silvio Naldi (Piacenza-on loan), Carlo Reguzzoni (Pro Patria, after 377 games) and Giuseppe Totti (Cesena).
Bologna were currently 7th on 28 points. The Felsinei had won 11 (including Inter 2-0 at home), drawn 6 (including recent 1-1 at home to Torino) and lost 10.
A crucial game for Lazio while Bologna had no worries at the moment.
The match: Sunday, April 13, 1947, Stadio Nazionale, Rome
A big crowd turned up on a sunny mid-April Sunday.
Lazio were without forward Bruno Ispiro while Bologna were missing midfielder Sauro Taiti.
Lazio went close immediately in the 2nd minute but Umberto Lombardini's effort was just off target. Bologna responded in the 4th minute but Corrado Giubilo saved comfortably on Gino Cappello.
Halfway through the first half Lazio suffered a setback when midfielder Cesare Brunetti got injured and was moved out to the left wing and Mario Magrini took his place.
In the 31st minute Béla Sárosi fouled Austrian forward Hengelbert Koenig at the edge of the area. Captain Salvador Gualtieri took the free kick and beat an immobile Glauco Vanz, 1-0.
Bologna stirred but all the initiatives by the various Amedeo Biavati, Ferruccio Valcareggi, Bruno Arcari and Cappello were blocked by an excellent Lazio defence.
Towards the end of the half Lazio regained control and put the visitors under pressure but the half ended with the solitary Biancoceleste lead.
Early in the second half in the 47th minute a Romolo Alzani strike shaved the post and Lazio continued to push.
In the 53rd minute Luigi Spadoni tripped up Lombardini and Lazio were awarded another inviting freekick. Gualtieri took it and hit the wall but the ball came back to him and he quickly passed to Aldo Puccinelli in the middle who smashed it past Vanz, 2-0.
Lazio then relaxed and Bologna had a period of territorial dominance but their only real threat was a Franco Marchi shot which whistled just over the crossbar.
Bologna became increasingly unbalanced and were caught on the break in the 72nd minute. Koenig sent Puccinelli surging forward, followed the move, received it back, controlled it and beat Vanz with a precise finish, 3-0.
The Rossoblu were beaten but looked at least for a consolation goal. They went close in the 81st but Giubilo saved on Vilmos Sipos and then found one in the 89th minute. It was a similar goal to Lazio's second. Cappello's set-piece came back off the wall and he squared to Bruno Arcari who beat Giubilo from close range, 3-1 and the final score.
A deserved win for the Biancocelesti who had played with character and determination against an under-par Bologna. The whole team had played well with particularly good performances by Gualtieri and Puccinelli. For the visitors the defender Guglielmo Giovannini and the midfielder Biavati had held their own.
An extremely precious two points for Lazio who were now 14th on 24 points with Inter. The Eagles now had a more comforting three-point cushion on the drop zone (still Venezia on 21). Bologna meanwhile dropped down to joint 8th with Sampdoria and Atalanta on 28 points.
Who played for Lazio
Giubilo, Cassano, Antonazzi, Alzani, Gualtieri, Brunetti, Puccinelli, Magrini, Koenig, Flamini, Lombardini
Manager: Cargnelli
Who played for Bologna
Vanz, Giovannini, Spadoni, Marchi, B.Sárosi, Ballacci, Biavati, Arcari IV, Cappello IV, Valcareggi, Sipos
Manager: Viola
Referee: Savio
Goals: 31' Gualtieri, 53' Puccinelli, 72' Koenig, 89' Arcari IV
What happened next
Lazio finished 10th, on 36 points (5 above the drop zone), with Inter, Sampdoria and Genoa and even came above Roma. In the last 10 games they won 3, drew 6 (including Milan, Napoli both 0-0 and Juventus 3-3 away) and only lost 1 (Alessandria 1-2 away). The top scorer was Aldo Puccinelli with 13 league goals.
Bologna finished 5th, with Vicenza on 39 points. The Rossoblu then won 4, drew 3 (including Inter 1-1 away) and lost 3. The top scorer was Gino Cappello with 9 league goals.
The Scudetto winners for 1946-47 were Torino again who won their 4th title. Leaving the top flight were Venezia and Brescia while Triestina who had come bottom were allowed to stay up for "patriotic" reasons.
Let's talk about Ferruccio Valcareggi
Today in our opponents series we will talk about a midfielder and manager.
Ferruccio Valcareggi was born in Trieste, on February 12, 1919.
He debuted for his hometown club Triestina in 1937. The Alabardati were in Serie A and finished 7th. He played 7 league games under Hungarian Jenő Konrad. Valcareggi stayed another two seasons playing more regularly, another 56 league games with 5 goals. The Triestini finished 14th and 12th. His managers were then Konrad, Janos Nehadoma and Elio Loschi in the second season and Argentine Luis Monti in the third.
In 1940 Valcareggi joined Fiorentina and stayed three seasons. La Viola finished 3rd, 9th and 6th in Serie A. Valcareggi played 89 league games with 23 goals plus 4 games in Coppa Italia. His manager for all three seasons was Giuseppe Galluzzi. His teammates included Lazio connections Englebert Koenig (1942-47), Romano Penzo (1947-50), Zeffiro Furiassi (1949-55), Giuseppe Bigogno (manager 1951-53) and Renato Gei (manager 1967-68).
In 1943-44 Valcareggi played a season for Milano (Milan Italianised by regime). He played 11 league games under Giuseppe Santagostino and the Rossoneri finished 5th in the Lombard League.
In 1944 he signed for Bologna and stayed three seasons. In 1944-45 the war interrupted the football leagues and then the Rossoblu finished 7th in the Alta Italia league and 5th in Serie A. He played 59 league games with 7 goals.
In 1947-48 he returned to Fiorentina for a season. The Gigliati finished 7th in Serie A under future Lazio manager Luigi Ferrero. Valcareggi played 33 league games with 4 goals. He again played alongside Furiassi and Gei.
In 1948-49 he played for Vicenza in Serie B. The Biancorossi came 3rd under Carlo Rigotti, then Elemér Berkessy and finally Wilmas Wilhelm. Valcareggi played 39 league games with 11 goals.
In 1949 he joined Lucchese in Serie A and stayed two seasons. The Rossoneri finished 15th twice and his managers were Ottavio Barbieri, Federico Allasio (later at Lazio briefly in 1954), György Sárosi, Ivo Fiorentini and Sárosi again. He played 37 league games and scored 5 goals.
In 1951-52 he spent a season with Brescia in Serie B. The Rondinelle finished 2nd but then lost the promotion playoff to Triestina 0-1. He played 23 league games with 1 goal.
His last club was in Tuscany again as he played two seasons with Piombino near Livorno. The Nerazzurri were in Serie B and finished 15th and 18th (relegated). Vacareggi played 62 league games with 4 goals. Near the end of the first season he took over from Nello Bechelli and became player-manager, a position he kept the following season.
At 35 he retired and concentrated on his coaching career. He stayed one more year at Piombino in Serie C finishing 7th.
In 1955 he remained in Tuscany and joined Prato for four seasons. The Lanieri were in Serie C and finished 10th, 1st (promoted), 10th in B and 20th (relegated).
In 1959 he moved to Atalanta for three seasons. The Dea was in Serie A and finished 11th, 9th and 6th. His players included Lazio connections Rinaldo Olivieri (1955-56), Angelo Longoni (1961-63), Vincenzo Gasperi (1961-66), Kurt Christensen (1964-65), Rino Marchesi (1966-71) and Pierluigi Ronzon (1967-68).
In 1962 he returned to Florence as manager. The Viola finished 6th. The following season he was replaced after seven league games by Giuseppe Chiappella and Fiorentina eventually finished 4th. His players included Lazio connections, Rino Marchesi again, Can Bartu (1964-67) and Pierpaolo Manservisi (1970-71, 1972-74).
In 1964-65 he went back to Bergamo and Atalanta. The Bergamaschi finished 11th in Serie A. His players included former Lazio, Graziano Landoni (1961-64).
In 1966 he was chosen as head coach for the Italy national team. This was following their disastrous 1966 World Cup where they were famously defeated by North Korea. At first, he worked with Helenio Herrera and then alone from June 1967. With the Azzurri he won the home European Championship in 1968 and led Italy to the World Cup final in Mexico 1970 but they lost to Pelè's Brazil 1-4. Things did not go as well in 1974 in Germany where Italy were eliminated in the first group stage. He was criticised for not picking more Lazio players who had just won the league title. There was also the famous episode of Lazio's Giorgio Chinaglia blatantly lacking Valcareggi respect when substituted. His total score with the "Nazionale" was 28 wins, 20 draws and 6 defeats.
Back at club level from 1975 to 1978 he was in charge at Verona. The Gialloblu finished 11th, 7th and 10th. In 1976 they reached the Coppa Italia final but lost 0-4 to Napoli. His players included future Lazio defender Arcadio Spinozzi (1980-86).
In 1978-79, from November taking over from Gustavo Giagnoni. he spent a season with Roma. The Giallorossi finished 10th while the derbies ended 0-0 and 2-1 to Lazio. His players included Lazio connections Michele De Nadai (1981-83), Nando Orsi (1982-85, 1989-98) and Luciano Spinosi (assistant to Sven Goran Eriksson 1997-2000).
In 1979 he returned into the Italy Federation ranks and was head coach of the Italy B side for five years.
In December 1984 he took over in Florence from Giancarlo De Sisti due to illness. The Gigliati finished 9th. His players included future Lazio, Paolo Monelli (1987-88) but also players such as Claudio Gentile, Daniel Passarella, Giancarlo Antognoni (out injured all season), Gabriele Oriali, Eraldo Pecci, Daniele Massaro, Sócrates and an end of career Paolino Pulici.
Valcareggi then took a break and worked in TV punditry but returned in 1998 to 2004 at amateur level with Settignanese (Florence) as both director and coach.
Valcareggi was a good midfielder at club level. He played 292 games in the top flight with 44 goals and 124 games in B with 16 goals. He was physically strong and famous for his athletic resistance. He had the knack for scoring goals too however, over 60 in his career.
As a manager he won Italy's first European Championship in 1968. He did well in the 1970 World Cup including the epic 4-3 semifinal against Germany. Finishing runners-up was perhaps undervalued in Italy as the campaign was also overshadowed by the Sandro Mazzola vs Gianni Rivera rivalry. They were not used together but in the famous "staffetta" (relay-replacing each other) and this brought Valcareggi some criticism.
The 1974 campaign was clearly a flop and was the end of Valcareggi as a top manager although he then had decent years at Verona.
Valcareggi died in Florence, on November 2, 2005 and is buried in the Settignano cemetery. He entered the Fiorentina Hall of Fame in 2013 and Settignanese have named their football academy after him.
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