Lazio survive Lombard battle
An early Morrone injury limits Lazio but they hold on and with a dose of luck clinch a point
Also on this day: April 19, 1970, Lazio Bari 4-1. A glorious spring day, a 4-1 win and Chinaglia boosting his world cup chances, a perfect finish in front of home supporters. Player of the day: Rosario Di Vincenzo
The season so far
Lazio had just won promotion back to Serie A. Under manager Carlo Facchini, for the first four games, and then Bob Lovati with Juan Carlos Lorenzo as technical director, the Biancocelesti had conquered 2nd place and a place back in the big time. Juan Carlos Morrone, Orlando Rozzoni and Paolo Bernasconi all got 10 goals each.
That was a year after being robbed of promotion, in 1961-1962, when Gianni Seghedoni's goal, in a crucial game against Napoli was ridiculously judged to have gone in through a hole in the net.
This year Lorenzo was officially manager. The main new players were: midfielders Paolo Carosi (Udinese-back from loan), Massimo Giacomini (Genoa), Alberto Mari (Sambenedettese), Bruno Mazzia (Juventus-on loan) plus forward Carlo Galli (Genoa).
Leaving were defenders Adelmo Eufemi (Udinese), Gianni Seghedoni (Vis Pesaro), Giambattista Moschino (Torino-end of loan) plus forwards Paolo Bernasconi (Parma), Claudio Bizzarri (Civitanovese) and Angelo Longoni (Vis Pesaro).
Lazio started the season in the Coppa Italia but were eliminated immediately by Cagliari 0-1 away.
In Serie A things went better. Lazio went unbeaten in the first five games with 2 wins and 3 draws (including the derby) but then continued with mixed results. Lazio were currently joint 10th with Roma, but only four points above the relegation zone. The Biancocelesti had won 9 (including Mantova 2-0 at home, Milan 1-0 and Juventus 3-0 both away) drawn 7 (including derby 1-1) and lost 12. Their most recent game had been a 0-1 away defeat at Catania.
Mantova had finished 11th the previous season under Hungarian manager Nándor Hidegkuti. Top scorer was Angelo Sormani with 13 league goals.
This season the manager was Luigi Bonizzoni. The main novelties in the squad were a young goalkeeper Dino Zoff (Udinese), defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (Roma-on loan), midfielder Torbjörn Jonsson (Roma), Carlo Volpi (Palermo), Ugo Tomeazzi (Napoli) plus forward Bruno Nicolè (Juventus).
Leaving Mantua were goalkeeper William Negri (Bologna), midfielder and former Lazio, Dante Castellazzi (Palermo), Renzo Longhi (Cosenza, after 208 league games), forwards Anton Allemann (PSV Eindhoven), Angelo Sormani (Roma) and Rolf Geiger (Stuttgart).
The Biancorossi were currently in 13th position, on 23 points, two behind Lazio and two above the drop zone. The Virgiliani had won 5, drawn 13 (including Juventus 2-2 away and 1-1 at home) and lost 10 (including Lazio away). A week earlier they had lost 0-1 away at Genoa.
The squad included future Lazio manager Gigi Simoni (1985-86), Sergio Pini (Simoni's assistant at Lazio), Ettore Recagni (Lazio, 1959-60) and, in a non-Lazio connection, future Milan and Germany star defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger.
In Coppa Italia they had been knocked out by Verona 1-2 away in the first round.
So, a delicate game today between two sides just off the relegation zone.
The match: Sunday, April 19, 1964, Stadio Danilo Martelli, Mantua
A cloudy and extremely windy day saw about 10,000 spectators turn out. Lazio would start with the wind behind them.
Mantova had four players back from injury: Beniamino Cancian, Italo Mazzero, Gigi Simoni and Torbjörn Jonsson. Lazio meanwhile had Mario Maraschi suspended plus Paolo Carosi and Bruno Mazzia out injured, but had Massimo Giacomini and Vincenzo Gasperi back after periods of absence.
The first shot at goal was by the Virgiliani home side by Carlo Volpi, but Idilio Cei dived low and saved. Lazio responded with a Juan Carlos Morrone free kick but Dino Zoff saved comfortably.
In the 10th minute Lazio suffered a setback as Morrone injured his groin, he soldiered on but was limited in his movements from then on.
The hosts attacked more, but only had a Simoni effort blocked by Cei in the 21st minute. The game then went quiet but revived towards the end of the half.
Mantova had another Simoni shot denied by Cei and then Ugo Tomeazzi had a strike go just wide. In the 43rd minute Lazio stirred and a Giacomini shot went all along the goal line without Orlando Rozzoni managing to get a foot to it. Half time: Mantova 0 Lazio 0.
In the second period the Biancorossi were with the wind in their favour and pushed forward.
In the 46th minute Nello Governato deflected a Mazzero shot onto the post and Mazzero again a few minutes later hit a crossbar with a long-range effort.
Mantova surged forward helped both by the wind and by the fact that Lazio were practically in ten men. Cei was busy on two Simoni shots and then an Ettore Recagni strike.
The home side even pushed defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger up front as an extra forward. Lorenzo responded by placing Alberto Mari on the German.
Lazio dug deep and defended heroically. The last chance fell to Schnellinger but Mari saved the day with a last-ditch tackle. Final score: Mantova 0 Lazio 0.
Lazio came out with a hard-fought point, helped by a fair dose of luck. Mantova had deserved to win but had not been able to exploit Lazio virtually playing in ten and in turn unfortunate with their numerous chances, including a post and a crossbar.
Lazio were still joint 10th, now with Catania and still with a four-point cushion on the B zone. Mantova were now joint 12th, with Genoa and still two points above the relegation area.
Who played for Mantova
Zoff, Morganti, Schnellinger, Mazzero, Pini, Cancian, Simoni, Jonsson, Tomeazzi, Volpi, Recagni
Manager: Bonizzoni
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Lorenzo
Referee: Angelini
What happened next
Lazio finished joint 8th (with three other teams). They did not concede many goals (24) but scored even less (21). The most common result was 1-0, either for or against. In the last 5 games Lazio drew 4 (3 goalless) and lost 1. In the end, the Biancocelesti had a three point cushion on the drop zone and one point more than Roma. Top scorers were Mario Maraschi and Juan Carlos Morrone with 5 league goals.
Mantova too survived. They finished 13th, one point from the B zone. In the last 5 games they won 1 (Roma 1-0 at home), drew 3 (all goalless) and lost 1. Top scorer was Italo Mazzero with 7 league goals.
The Scudetto was won by Bologna for the 7th time, after the first and only ever play off, beating Inter 2-0. Leaving for now were Bari, SPAL and Modena (after a playoff with Sampdoria 0-2).
Lazio 1963-64
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 21 |
Coppa Italia | 1 | - | - | 1 | - |
Total | 5 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 21 |
Top five appearances
Players | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Pagni | 35 | 34 | 1 |
Landoni | 34 | 34 | - |
Cei | 32 | 32 | - |
Morrone | 32 | 31 | 1 |
Maraschi | 31 | 31 | - |
Zanetti | 31 | 30 | 1 |
Top goal scorers
Players | Serie A |
Morrone | 5 |
Maraschi | 5 |
Let's talk about Gianfranco Garbuglia
Gianfranco Garbuglia was born in Corridonia (Macerata) on November 24, 1940.
His first club was, fellow Marchigiani, Sambenedettese. He played one season for the Rossoblu in 1959-60, in Serie B. The manager was first Alberto Eliani(1-26) and then, former Lazio player, Leandro Remondini. The "Samba" finished 14th and Garbuglia played 28 league games.
In 1960 he joined Udinese in Serie A. The manager was former Lazio Giuseppe Bigogno (1951-53) and the Bianconeri finished 15th. Garbuglia only played 7 league games. His teammates included a very young Dino Zoff plus Lorenzo Bettini (Lazio, 1955-57), Renzo Sassi (Lazio, 1954-56) and Massimo Giacomini (Lazio, 1963-64) plus a non-Lazio connection but important character Osvaldo Bagnoli (Verona Scudetto manager 1984-85).
In 1961 Garbuglia went back to Sambenedettese for a season. Still in Serie B the Rossoblu finished 12th . Garbuglia played 36 league games under Osvaldo Fattori (1-12) and then Alberto Eliani.
In 1962 Garbuglia joined Lazio. The Biancocelesti were in Serie B as they had been relegated for the first time in their history in the 1960-61 season. The following year they had narrowly missed out on promotion also due to the farcical disallowing of a Seghedoni goal against Napoli which the referee claimed, against all evidence, had gone in through a hole in the net.
This year, under Carlo Facchini (1-4) and then Bob Lovati, Lazio were successful, winning promotion with a 2nd place finish. Garbuglia played 30 league games.
In 1963-64 he stayed with Lazio. The manager was Argentine Juan Carlos Lorenzo and the Biancocelesti finished 8th. Garbuglia played 22 league games and 1 game in Coppa Italia.
In 1964 he left Rome and joined Messina in Serie A. He stayed four seasons in Sicily. The Giallorossi were relegated, then finished 7th, 11th and 19th in B (relegated again). The manager was Tonino Colomban for three seasons and then, former Lazio manager, Umberto Mannocci in the fourth. Garbuglia played 144 league games with 1 goal.
His last club was Potenza from 1969 to 1973. The Rossoblu from Basilicata were in Serie C and finished 13th, 5th, 14th and 20th (relegated). His managers included Mannocci again, Alfredo Mancinelli for two and a half seasons and then, in the relegation year, Gino Raffin, Luigi Masperi and Giacomo Di Caprio. Garbuglia played 114 league games for the Lucani.
At 32 he then retired.
Garbuglia was a defender, more specifically a full-back. He had a decent career playing 63 times in Serie A and 160 in B.
At Lazio he played 53 games, won a promotion to Serie A and in his second year obtained a positive 8th place in the top flight. He also had the satisfaction of beating both Milan and Juventus away.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
1962-63 | 30 | - | 30 | - |
1963-64 | 23 | 22 | - | 1 |
Total | 53 | 22 | 30 | 1 |
Sources