Lazio say goodbye to fans in fine style
A glorious spring day, a 4-1 win and Chinaglia boosting his world cup chances, a perfect finish in front of home supporters.
Also on this day: April 19, 1964, Mantova Lazio 0-0. An early Morrone injury limits Lazio but they hold on and with a dose of luck clinch a point. Player of the day: Gianfranco Garbuglia
The season so far
Lazio were newly promoted after a year in the purgatory of Serie B. They had won the championship and promotion under Juan Carlos Lorenzo. He had only been allowed to sit on the bench from March 30 as foreigners were not officially allowed to be managers, so until he obtained his passport Roberto Lovati had carried out the Sunday afternoon dug out duties.
This year officially the manager was Bob Lovati and the Technical Director was Juan Carlos Lorenzo. The more important changes had been made to the squad. Lazio had brought in some players who would prove to change the entire club's history.
An unknown young forward called Giorgio Chinaglia was signed from third division Internapoli. Also from the Neapolitan club arrived defender Giuseppe Wilson. Both players had British connections; Chinaglia grew up in South-Wales while Wilson was born in Darlington to an English father and Neapolitan mother. These two facts would later be one of the reasons for myself becoming a lifelong Lazio fan.
Along with the two “Brits” Lazio had added other players; defender and local lad Giancarlo Oddi (Sora - back from loan), defender Giuseppe Papadopulo (Livorno), goalkeeper Michelangelo Sulfaro (Sambenedettese) plus, in the autumn session, defender Luigi Polentes (Perugia) and above all midfielder Franco Nanni (Trapani). Four of these players; Chinaglia, Wilson, Oddi and Nanni ,would play key roles some years later in Lazio's Scudetto winning team.
The main players leaving were defenders Pietro Fontana (Ternana) and Guido Onor (Juventus - end of loan) plus, in the autumn, forward Arrigo Dolso (Monza - on loan) and defender Pietro Adorni (Piacenza).
So far Lazio were having a reasonable campaign and were in mid-table. In the last five matches they had won 3 (Palermo, Inter and Juventus, all at home) and drawn 2 (Napoli and Verona, both away) so finishing the league strongly. Lazio had 26 points after 10 wins, 6 draws and 12 defeats. The new "Welsh-Italian" striker Giorgio Chinaglia was doing well and had scored 11 league goals and Anglo-Italian defender Pino Wilson had proved an excellent buy.
Bari were also newly promoted but had already been condemned to going straight back down again. Last season's manager Lauro Toneatto had been replaced for the start of this campaign by Oronzo Pugliese but five matches ago he had been sacked and Carlo Matteucci had taken over.
Bari had started the season in the best way possible, beating Roma 1-0. The next match they lost to Milan, before five consecutive draws. Then the problems started, between October 26 and January 25 the " Galletti" only earned four points. Since then they had won only one match (Brescia) and came into today's match with seven defeats (one they drew against Verona but then were punished with a 2-0 defeat for crowd trouble) and two draws in the last nine games. The last defeat, a week earlier against Cagliari, had been the nail in the coffin and Bari were doomed.
So today's game was more of a celebration for Lazio in their last home appearance while for Bari it was more like a "Via Crucis".
The match: Sunday, April 19, 1970, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A lovely Roman spring day and a 40,000 crowd welcomed the two teams out today. They however came on in different moods; Lazio soaking up the warm festive atmosphere while for Bari, relegated the week before, it must have still felt like deep winter. So a care free, happy Lazio against a depressed and frustrated Bari.
The field confirmed the opposing mind sets. Lazio had several chances almost immediately with Giuseppe Massa after three and nine minutes. Massa and Ferruccio Mazzola II were the most active but the fans desperately wanted Chinaglia to score, hoping he would be taken to Mexico '70.
Mazzola scored in the 25th minute but the referee, on his debut, disallowed it for an extremely dubious Giampiero Ghio offside position. Mazzola did not lose heart and a minute later scored again. A brilliant solo effort starting in midfield then saw him beat Giuseppe Spalazzi with a powerful, medium height, right footed strike. 1-0 Lazio.
The visitors occasionally ventured into the Lazio half and in the 35th minute Antonio D'Addosio was denied by Rosario Di Vincenzo bravely coming off his line to claim the ball. The Bari defender, who had replaced an injured Carlo Furlanis, was booked after the impact with the keeper. The Bari players seemed particularly tense and frustrated resulting in several unnecessary dirty fouls. Halftime 1-0 Lazio.
In the second half the Biancocelesti continued to dictate the game and went close first with Mazzola II and then doubled their lead. In the 60th minute Giuliano Fortunato pounced on a short defensive clearance and fired in a precise, low shot. 2-0 Lazio.
Bari then surprisingly pulled one back. In the 66th minute, after an assist by Faustino Cané, caught Di Vincenzo off guard with an accurate, low strike. Lazio 2 Bari 1.
The result however was never seriously in doubt as the festive mood and the Chinaglia goal hunt continued. The third goal came three minutes from the end not by "Long John" but rather by the best player on the field so far, "Peppiniello" Massa. In the 87th minute from 30 metres out he sent a cracking effort into the top hand corner. 3-1 Lazio and party on but something was still missing.
Chinaglia had recently been included in Italy manager Valcareggi's initial list of forty for the oncoming World Cup in Mexico but he still was not guaranteed a place on the plane. He had some chances today but tight defending and over eagerness had kept him off the score sheet, he needed a goal.
Everything changed in the 89th minute when a perfect pass by Mazzola II set up "Giorgione" in front of goal. When the ball hit the net the roar probably almost reached Mexico. Final score Lazio 4 Bari 1.
The fans celebrated with the traditional pitch invasion, putting Mexican sombreros on Chinaglia and his teammates' heads. Party mode on and Lazio Olé.
Who played for Lazio
Di Vincenzo, Papadopulo, Oddi, Governato, Polentes, Marchesi, Massa, Mazzola II, Chinaglia, Ghio, Fortunato
Substitutes: Fiorucci, Casisa
Manager: Lorenzo
Who played for Bari
Spalazzi, Loseto, Furlanis (27' D'Addosio), Diomedi, Spimi, Colautti, Cané, Fara, Spadetto, Pienti, Zuczkowski
Substitutes: Colombo
Manager: C.Matteucci
Referee: Bianchi
Goals: 26' Mazzola II, 60' Fortunato, 66' Pienti, 87' Massa, 89' Chinaglia
What happened next
A week later Lazio drew the last game of the season 0-0 at Brescia. They finished in a healthy 8th position on 29 points after 11 wins, 7 draws and 12 defeats. Top scorer was Chinaglia with 12 league goals while Ghio and Massa got 5 each.
Unfortunately Chinaglia and Lazio fans' dream of "Long John" going to Mexico 1970 never materialized as he was eventually cut from the short squad list.
Not much to add about Bari who were already relegated. The "Galletti" would not be seen again in Serie A until the 1985-86 season.
The Scudetto was won by a wonderful Cagliari team for their historic title, celebrated on the whole island. The Sardi led by Gigi Riva surprisingly but deservedly came ahead of Inter and Juventus.
Bari's travelling companions with destination Serie B were Brescia and Palermo.
Lazio 1969-70
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 33 |
Coppa Italia | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | - |
Mitropa Cup | 2 | - | - | 2 | 2 |
Total | 35 | 11 | 8 | 16 | 35 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Mitropa Cup |
Marchesi | 35 | 30 | 3 | 2 |
Massa | 32 | 27 | 3 | 2 |
Chinaglia | 31 | 28 | 1 | 2 |
Wilson | 31 | 28 | 1 | 2 |
Ghio | 29 | 25 | 2 | 2 |
Top goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Mitropa Cup |
Chinaglia | 14 | 12 | 2 |
Massa | 5 | 5 | - |
Ghio | 5 | 5 | - |
Mazzola | 3 | 3 | - |
Let’s talk about Rosario DI Vincenzo
Rosario Di Vincenzo was born in Genoa, on June 16, 1941.
He started his football in the Genoa youth sector. In 1961 he joined Entella (Chiavari - near Genoa) in Serie D. He played 33 games for the "Diavoli Neri" (The Black Devils).
In 1962 he went to Inter but never made his debut under Helenio Herrera, The Nerazzurri won the Scudetto.
In 1963 he joined Triestina on loan in Serie B. He played 18 games for the "Alabardati' (The Halberded).
In 1964 he returned to Inter and finally made his debut. He played 3 league games under Herrera and Inter won the Scudetto, European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.
In July 1965 he joined Varese in Serie A but only played 5 games before moving to Genoa in Serie B in November. With the Rossoblu he made 18 league appearances.
The following year he was at Potenza in Serie B. He played 38 league games in Basilicata before his big career move.
In 1967 he joined Lazio in Serie B. Under Roberto Gei and then Bob Lovati, he played 17 league games and 1 in Coppa Italia (Idilio Cei got 24 league games). Lazio finished 11th.
The following year he played more regularly, as Cei left for Palermo, making 27 league appearances and 1 in Coppa Italia. Lazio won the league under Juan Carlos Lorenzo and returned to Serie A.
The 1969-70 he shared goalkeeping duties with Michelangelo Sulfaro. Di Vincenzo played 16 league games and 3 in Coppa Italia while Sulfaro got 16 league games. Lazio finished a decent 8th.
The 1970-71 season was not as positive for the Biancocelesti. They got relegated back to Serie B under Lorenzo and then Lovati. Di Vincenzo played 21 league games.
In 1971-72 Lazio’s history changed with the arrival of new manager Tommaso Maestrelli. Lazio were promoted but Di Vincenzo only played 2 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia. Claudio Bandoni had arrived from Fiorentina and was the regular choice keeper with 36 league games. During the season Di Vincenzo also had a bust up with the "Maestro" and that was the beginning of the end of his Lazio experience.
In 1972-73, with the arrival of Felice Pulici and the return of Avelino Moriggi, Di Vincenzo joined Brindisi in serie B. He stayed three seasons playing 87 league games for the Apulian Biancazzurri. In his time in Brindisi he was involved in a nasty incident in an away game at Palermo. In an end of match scuffle he caused a Palermo player, Giorgio Barbana, to pass out and then spat on him. This caused inevitable friction with the Rosanero fans and after reciprocal insults and not particularly friendly gestures, one of these fans invaded the pitch and attacked Di Vincenzo causing him to be hospitalized (only until evening). Brindisi were awarded the win by default but the episode did not do Di Vincenzo's reputation any good.
In 1975 he was back in Serie A when he joined Sampdoria. He stayed three seasons, the first two in the top flight with 10 games and the third in Serie B with no games.
In 1978 he went down a couple of divisions to get more playing time. He joined Imperia, in Liguria, in C2 and made 33 league appearances. In 1979 he joined his last team, Pro Vercelli, in Serie D and played 10 league games.
At 39 he retired as a player but he stayed in the football world. He had an experience as manager for a year at Viterbese and then specialized in what he did best, goalkeeping. He passed on his experience as goalkeepers coach at Napoli (1994-97), Siena (2001-04, also as assistant coach to Papadopulo from his Lazio days), Lazio (2004-05), Palermo (2006) and Sampdoria (2007- youth goalkeepers coach).
Di Vincenzo played 55 games in Serie A and 194 in Serie B. He won a Scudetto in the Inter squad of 1962-63 and another Scudetto, European Cup and Intercontinental Cup in the squad of 1964-65.
It was at Lazio however where he left the biggest mark. He played a total of 93 games for the Biancocelesti. He won two promotions and was a member of the squad leading up to the historical first Scudetto.
Lazio career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia | Anglo-Italian Cup | Cup of the Alps |
1967-68 | 19 | - | 18 | 1 | - | - |
1968-69 | 28 | - | 27 | 1 | - | - |
1969-70 | 24 | 16 | - | 3 | 1 | 4 |
1970-71 | 215 | 21 | - | - | - | 4 |
1971-72 | 6 | - | 2 | 4 | - | - |
Total | 93 | 37 | 47 | 9 | 1 | 8 |
Sources