August 14, 1973: Lazio Sassolese 2-0, friendly
- Simon Basten
- 10 hours ago
- 12 min read
Chinaglia Double Seals Lazio Victory Over Sassolese
In difficulty for most of the match on a water logged pitch, Lazio rely on Chinaglia and Pulici to beat fourth tier Sassolese
The season so far
In the previous season Lazio went agonizingly close to winning their first scudetto. On the eve of the final match of the season, the table read Milan 44, Juventus and Lazio 43. The final three games were Verona-Milan, Napoli-Lazio and Roma-Juve. At the end of the first half the results were Verona-Milan 3-1, Roma-Juventus 1-0, Napoli-Lazio still goalless. As a consequence the table read Milan and Lazio 44, Juventus 43. Napoli were playing as if their life depended on it and the Biancocelesti were having a difficult time but they were potentially one goal away from the scudetto. In the second half of Roma-Juventus, the Giallorossi, frightened that Lazio could win the championship, opened the gates for the Bianconeri, who scored two goals and won. The Biancocelesti did what they could but lost, Milan were demolished 5-3. Juventus won the scudetto.
Lazio had missed the last boat, everybody thought. They would never have an opportunity like this one ever again.
The near triumph of the previous season meant that during the summer transfer window many Lazio players were sought after. Pino Wilson was wanted by the Milanese teams, Luciano Re Cecconi by Torino, Franco Nanni by Fiorentina and Juventus. There was a battle for Giorgio Chinaglia. Juventus offered a billion lire, Inter 700 thousand plus four players. But Lazio President Umberto Lenzini said no. Renato Zaccarelli and Claudio Gentile could have been signed, but it did not happen. Even Ferruccio Mazzola refused to sign for Novara. In the end there were very minor movements and Lazio basically stayed as they were.
Lazio were currently doing their pre season training at Pievepelago near Modena. They had been there since August 2 and would stay until the 16th. Today was the first friendly against fourth tier Sassolese.
The match: Tuesday, August 14, 1973, Campo Sportivo Comunale, Pievepelago
Giorgio Chinaglia scored twice as Lazio defeated Sassolese 2-0 in a rain-soaked pre-season friendly at Pievepelago on 14 August 1973. The scoreline was modest, but the match provided Tommaso Maestrelli with a useful examination of his team as they continued preparations for the new season.
Played against a determined Sassolese side, the match was delayed by around 20 minutes after a torrential downpour left the pitch waterlogged. The conditions made fluent football difficult, but Lazio were nevertheless given a more demanding test than might normally be expected from a match against a team from Serie D.
Indeed, it was Lazio goalkeeper Felice Pulici who emerged as one of the outstanding performers.
The Biancocelesti had been expected to dominate, but Sassolese proved an organised and competitive opponent, playing with the intensity and tactical discipline of a side preparing for a league campaign rather than a pre-season friendly. Their approach created problems for Lazio, particularly in the first half, and Pulici was forced into a series of important saves.
Lazio, meanwhile, were still experimenting with their attacking approach.
Maestrelli was attempting to introduce some variations to the tactical patterns that had served the team so well the previous season, with Chinaglia being asked to operate in a slightly different position. The striker was pushed forward but did not always make the horizontal movements required to exploit the spaces around the Sassolese defence.
The result was a somewhat disjointed attacking performance.
Chinaglia, Renzo Garlaschelli and Pierpoalo Manservisi struggled at times to find the necessary space, while the difficult playing surface made passing and movement even more challenging. The Lazio attack was also still adapting to the new ideas being introduced by Maestrelli, with the players having been in preparation for only 12 days.
Nevertheless, Chinaglia quickly made his presence felt.
After 14 minutes, Garlaschelli was brought down inside the penalty area, giving Lazio the opportunity to take the lead from the spot. Chinaglia stepped forward and confidently sent a low shot beyond the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
The goal did not change the nature of the contest.
Sassolese continued to play with impressive determination and caused Lazio's defence a number of problems. Pulici was particularly alert, diving low to turn a dangerous free-kick from Balestri around the post after eight minutes.
He was called into action again ten minutes later, when he managed to hold onto a difficult, powerful effort from Ruggeri on the slippery surface.
The goalkeeper then produced his best moment of the first half shortly before the interval. Bulgarelli found himself in a dangerous position and appeared to have a clear opportunity to score, but Pulici reacted quickly to snatch the ball away from his feet.
At the other end, Lazio were struggling to create the kind of clear chances expected from a team of their quality.
Garlaschelli was finding it difficult to execute his usual combinations, while Luciano Re Cecconi was still short of his best physical condition. Gigi Martini, meanwhile, was also lacking match fitness and occasionally drifted into central areas, creating some confusion in Lazio's midfield structure.
The visitors' most consistent performer in the middle of the pitch was Mario Frustalupi.
The experienced midfielder worked tirelessly despite conditions that were far from ideal for a player whose game was based on technique and precision. He was involved in both breaking up Sassolese attacks and starting Lazio's own, providing the team with a platform from which to build.
The second half brought a series of changes.
Maestrelli introduced Fausto Inselvini, Ferruccio Mazzola and Vincenzo D'Amico, and the changes gave Lazio greater energy. Inselvini, in particular, immediately impressed. Operating down the right flank, he repeatedly surged forward with powerful runs, delivering accurate crosses and linking effectively with his teammates.
He also demonstrated his defensive qualities, recovering quickly whenever possession was lost and regularly winning the ball back.
It was a performance that suggested he could provide serious competition for a place in the starting XI.
Lazio continued to search for a second goal, but Sassolese remained stubborn. Their goalkeeper Bandieri also impressed, while the visitors' defensive organisation made it difficult for the Biancocelesti to find a way through.
At the other end, Pulici remained Lazio's insurance policy.
Nine minutes into the second half, he produced another outstanding save, throwing himself at a close-range effort from Barbieri and managing to repel the shot with his fists.
The performance was a considerable improvement on the previous season's concerns surrounding the goalkeeper. Pulici had once been regarded with some uncertainty, but his display at Pievepelago showed how much progress he had made.
Lazio eventually sealed the victory in the final minute.
A corner from Re Cecconi was sent into the crowded penalty area, and Chinaglia reacted quickest in the ensuing scramble to find the net for his second goal of the afternoon.
It was an appropriate conclusion to a match in which Lazio's most important player had once again made the difference.
Yet his two goals also demonstrated his importance.
Once again, Lazio's most influential player had provided the decisive contribution.
The final score of 2-0 was perhaps less convincing than expected, but the result itself was not the most important aspect of the afternoon. The match had given Maestrelli an opportunity to identify areas that still required work before the competitive season began.
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Facco, Martini, Wilson, Oddi, Nanni (46' Inselvini), Garlaschelli, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi (46' Mazzola II), Manservisi (46' D'Amico)
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Sassolese
Bandieri, Ceccardi, Bottazzi, Ghechi, Sesena, Ferrari (46' Parenti), Fruggeri (46' Casoli), Balestri (46' Monica), Carlini, Barbieri (Lizzari), Bulgarelli (46' Azzini)
Referee: Gibellini
Goals: 14’ Chinaglia (pen), 90’ Chinaglia
What happened next
The season started with the Coppa Italia in late August. Lazio had won one (Varese), lost one (Brescia) and drawn one (Roma) so, in order to go through to the second group phase, they had to win 4-0 against Novara. They scored six and qualified.
In the second round of Coppa Italia manager Tommaso Maestrelli started playing with the reserves and concentrated more on the Campionato, so Lazio ended up last in the semi-final group.
In the UEFA Cup, Lazio faced Sion in the first round: 3-0 was money in the bank. In the return game Lazio scored immediately with Garlaschelli and switched off. The Swiss won 3-1 but scored their last goal in the 90th minute. Second round was against Ipswich Town. The first leg in England was a disaster, 4-0. Only a miracle could allow Lazio to go through, but the players were absolutely convinced they could at least take the opponents to extra time. Lazio scored after 48 seconds with Garlaschelli. In the 23rd minute Allan Hunter, a defender, saved a goal on the line with a deliberate handball. The referee Leo Van der Kroft (who the Lazio players accused of having had a little too much to drink before the game) did not give the Biancocelesti the spot kick. Chinaglia two minutes later made it 2-0. In the second half Lazio doubled their efforts but could not score their third. In the 75th minute Clive Woods dived in the box and the referee gave a penalty. All hell let loose. The referee was surrounded by the Lazio players, some allegedly even hit him. Ipswich scored and from then on the game became a battle on the pitch and in the stands. It even continued in the changing rooms with a massive brawl among the players caused by one of the Ipswich players calling the Italians bastards. Lazio won 4-2 but were eliminated. UEFA banned Lazio from Europe for three years, reduced to one on appeal.
In Campionato they won the first two (Vicenza and Sampdoria), drew three (Fiorentina, Cesena and Inter) and lost one to Juventus. With two points per win they were fifth but only two points behind leaders Napoli and one behind Inter, Juventus and Fiorentina. They then won the next six (Cagliari, Roma, Napoli, Verona, Milan and Genoa), taking the top spot in the table after the ninth game together with Juventus and Napoli and solitary first from the next game. The derby was spectacular with Lazio winning coming from behind, thanks to fresh signing Paolo Franzoni's first touch of ball for his new team.
They were then caught up by Juventus after losing at home against Torino but took back solitary first place after winning at Foggia and Juve losing in Florence. In the last game of the first part of the season, a 4-0 win against Bologna, gave the Biancocelesti a three-point lead.
The second half of the season started with a win against Vicenza but then the Biancocelesti lost at Genoa against Sampdoria. Juventus were two points behind and the next game was Lazio-Juventus.
The Biancocelesti faced the mother of all games without Re Cecconi injured, replaced by Fausto Inselvini who had arrived in the autumn transfer window, an excellent all rounder who could basically play anywhere. Lazio crushed the Bianconeri, went ahead 2-0 and could have scored more. Two controversial penalties were awarded to Juventus in the second half, the first one saved by Pulici but not the second. The Biancocelesti reacted, created a massive chance with Long John and then scored their third thanks to a Chinaglia penalty. Lazio top, three points clear of Napoli and four ahead of Juventus.
The lead remained the same for the next two games (draw in Florence and win over Cesena) and reduced by one when Lazio lost against Inter. The +3 returned after a week thanks to a 2-0 win over Cagliari. The Biancocelesti then beat Roma for the second time, again coming from behind, taking them to a +4 lead.
The next two games were remarkable. In the first, away to Napoli, Lazio fell behind three times and managed to equalise every time thanks to a Chinaglia hat trick. In the second, against Verona at home, at the end of the first half the Biancocelesti were losing 2-1. Lazio had played well, had had numerous chances, but been unlucky. On entering the changing rooms at the interval, Maestrelli refused to open the doors and sent the players back out on the pitch. The crowd could not believe it. Why had they come back on to play so early? There were more than 10 minutes to go until the beginning of the second half. After a few minutes of bewilderment, the fans got it and started to shout Lazio-Lazio. They did that for the entire interval so when Verona came back onto the pitch, they saw the Lazio players already raring to go and the crowd all wound up, it was like walking into a den unarmed against 50,000 lions. In the second half the Biancocelesti ripped them apart and won 4-2.
A goalless draw in Milan allowed Juventus to pull a point back but Lazio then won the next game against Genoa. Three games to go, three point lead. The Biancocelesti lost to Torino 2-1 but Juventus lost too. Two games to go. If Lazio beat Foggia at home, the scudetto was theirs.
Against Foggia, paralysed by fear, the Biancocelesti possibly played their worst game so far, but won thanks to a Chinaglia penalty. The scudetto was won, the first in the club's 74-year history. The final game at Bologna was basically a friendly and ended 2-2.
Lazio played the most exciting football, had a bunch of wild players who fitted perfectly together, managed by the Maestro. Pulici, Petrelli, Martini, Wilson, Oddi Nanni, Garlaschelli, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi, D’Amico plus Inselvini, Facco, Polentes, Franzoni and Manservisi. Heroes and legends that will never be forgotten.
Lazio Jersey 1973-74
Image sources: Football Kit Archive
The 1973/74 season produced one of the most iconic shirts in the history of S.S. Lazio. Worn by Giorgio Chinaglia, Felice Pulici, Luciano Re Cecconi and their teammates during the club's historic first Serie A title triumph, it has become much more than a piece of football kit. It is the shirt that has come to symbolise the moment when Lazio finally became champions of Italy.
The club's technical supplier remained Tuttosport, a Rome-based company that had been responsible for Lazio's football products since the beginning of the 1970s. However, rather than producing all the shirts itself, Tuttosport commissioned different manufacturers to produce the team's match jerseys. During the 1973/74 season, two distinct versions of the traditional Lazio shirt appeared.
The first was produced by a Roman knitwear manufacturer and was essentially a continuation of the shirt worn during the previous campaign. It was characterised by a classic celeste body, a white V-neck and white cuffs or edging. The V-neck was less pronounced than the previous season's design and featured an internal fold, while the cuffs were slightly wider.
The second version was produced by Ennerre, the Pescara-based company that began its association with Lazio during the 1973/74 campaign. It was a particularly simple and elegant design, with a traditional celeste body and a V-neck and cuffs in celeste, each featuring a thin white stripe. The shirt was made from relatively lightweight cotton and had no side seams, while the shoulders were reinforced internally.
The Ennerre version represented a classic Italian football shirt design of the period. Its simplicity was typical of the era, when shirts were generally produced from straightforward materials and contained few of the elaborate details that would become common in later decades.
The match numbers were also characteristic of the period. They were made from a lightly textured plastic material and were sewn directly onto the fabric by machine. The numbers appeared in the colour contrasting with the shirt: white on the celeste home shirt and celeste on the white away shirt.
The shirts were not mass-produced in the way modern football jerseys are. The practical work involved in preparing the team's equipment was handled personally by the club's laundry staff, with the match numbers sewn onto the shirts by Gina Ciaschini, known affectionately as "Sora Gina", who was responsible for looking after Lazio's technical equipment.
The 1973/74 collection also included a white away shirt. It was essentially the negative image of the traditional home jersey, with a white body and celeste details around the neck and sleeves. The numbers were celeste, creating a direct visual connection with the first-choice shirt.
The white shirt was used on several away trips during the season, including matches against Verona, Sampdoria and Fiorentina. It was also worn at Napoli in the dramatic final away match of the season.
The choice of white shorts and white socks was consistent throughout the campaign. Lazio wore the same white shorts even when changing to the white away shirt, while the white socks completed a clean and traditional appearance. This was not entirely typical of Lazio's historical kit combinations, as the club had often used black or darker socks in earlier decades, but the all-white lower half complemented the celeste shirts particularly well.
One of the most interesting aspects of the 1973/74 season was the way in which the two home-shirt versions were used.
The older design, with the white collar and cuffs, was by far the most frequently worn. It was used during the opening weeks of the championship and continued to appear throughout much of the campaign.
The long-sleeved version of the same design was introduced for the cooler months. Lazio continued to wear it regularly through the winter, including a number of important matches.
The shirt with the white detailing therefore became the familiar image of the team for much of the season.
The Ennerre shirt appeared in official photographs during the summer training camp but did not become the team's primary shirt until later in the campaign.
The goalkeeper jersy was black made from wool, with a high, polo-style collar. The number 1 was made from the same lightly textured plastic material used on the outfield shirts and was sewn onto the jersey by Sora Gina.
The 1973/74 jersey has achieved a unique status in the club's history because of the timing of its greatest moment. It was not designed specifically to celebrate a championship, nor was it a special commemorative edition. It was a relatively simple football shirt produced in an era when kits were functional rather than heavily commercialised.
Yet history transformed it.
The shirt worn by Lazio on the afternoon of 12 May 1974 became the visual representation of the club's first Scudetto. The celeste colour, the understated white detailing and the simplicity of the design became inseparably associated with Chinaglia's penalty, Maestrelli's team and the extraordinary celebrations that followed.
The season also established a reference point for future Lazio shirts. The particular shade of celeste worn by the 1973/74 team became a benchmark against which subsequent generations of Lazio jerseys would inevitably be judged. Whenever the club introduced a new shirt, supporters could not help but compare it with the one worn by the team that had finally brought the Scudetto to Rome.
In this sense, the 1973/74 shirt became much more than sportswear.
It represented a team, a generation and a defining moment in Lazio's history. It was worn by players who would become legends and, most importantly, it was the shirt worn when Lazio achieved something that had never been done before.
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