August 16, 1971: Lazio Turris 3-2

Simon Basten
Aug 16
4 min read

More work needed

The first pre-season friendly shows that Maestrelli still has lots of work to do

Also on this day: August 16, 2012: Lazio Malmoe 2-1. After quite a number of defeats in pre-season friendlies, Lazio finally manage to win a match thanks to Hernanes and Kozak

The season so far

The disastrous 1970-71 season had culminated in a relegation to Serie B for the Biancocelesti. It was a devastating and unexpected fall for the club so President Umberto Lenzini, on a suggestion from sporting director Antonio Sbardella, chose a young manager called Tommaso Maestrelli who had done well in Serie C and Serie B with Reggina and Foggia.

The first problem the club had to face was the fact that Giorgio Chinaglia demanded to be sold. He refused to play in Serie B and was not entirely happy with the change of management. Maestrelli convinced him to stay.

Two fundamental future players joined Lazio in the summer transfer window: Luigi Martini, from Livorno, and Giancarlo Oddi returning from his loan spell at Massese. Lazio also signed goalkeeper Claudio Bandoni (Fiorentina) and midfielder Rino Gritti on loan from Lecco. Rino Marchesi, Nello Governato and Giancarlo Morrone left Lazio as free agents as well as Ferruccio Mazzola and Michelangelo Sulfaro on loan to Fiorentina.

For the first preseason training under Maestrelli, the team moved to Padula, near Salerno where they would stay from August 3-22. Today was the first friendly and fans were curious to see the new Lazio.

The match: Monday, August 16, 1971, Stadio Comunale, Padula

Great curiosity surrounded this first game for Tommaso Maestrelli’s Lazio, though for the final first eleven which would start the season there was the need to wait since Pino Wilson was out injured so Luigi Polentes was the libero for today.

The Biancocelesti took the lead after 14 minutes. Gigi Martini took a free kick, ball to Giuseppe Massa who was quick to pass to Giorgio Chinaglia who entered the box, dribbled past a defender and almost from the by-line beat the keeper.

In the second half Massa scored a brace. In the 52^nd minute, splendid Chinaglia-Costantino Fava one-two, ball to Peppiniello who made it two with an angled shot. Three minutes later, Fava crossed low in the box and Massa scored his brace.

Turris, who had just been promoted into Serie C, reduced the deficit when Giancarlo Pulitelli took a free kick and crossed for Dante Portelli who beat Rosario Di Vincenzo in the 70^th minute. The Campani scored again six minutes from time when Franco Nanni was dispossessed by Pulitelli, cross in the middle, Giuseppe Papadopulo deflected the ball which became a perfect assist for Mario Schettino who made it 2-3.

There was still considerable work needed for Maestrelli as Lazio showed all the previous season's defects, but there were some positives. Giancarlo Oddi was certainly one of them, he could be useful this season.

Who played for Lazio

Bandoni (Di Vincenzo), Facco, Legnaro (Oddi), Polentes, Papadopulo, Martini (57’ Gritti), Manservisi (Dolso), Massa, Chinaglia, Fava (80’ Vulpiani), Fortunato (Nanni)

Manager: Maestrelli

Who played for Turris

Piscitelli (Cenci), Caocci (Manelli), Viale (73' Patat), Porri (Oliva), Niccolai, Giani (Caglione), Di Cristofaro (62' Montanari), Portelli (73' Vitiello), Pulitelli, Gardini, Polselli (Schettino)

Manager: Bruno

Referee: Lattanzi

Goals: 14’ Chinaglia, 52’ Massa, 55’ Massa, 70’ Portelli, 84’ Schettino

What happened next

In August, Lazio managed to top their group in the first phase of the Coppa Italia. The first match of the season was the derby, which Lazio won 1-0 with a Chinaglia goal and at least four miraculous saves from Bandoni.

Lazio started the Serie B campaign slowly, losing the first two games away from home, but from the 6th match onwards things improved.

In the November transfer window Lazio signed Carlo Facchin and Giambattista Moschino, returning after nine years, plus Alessandro Abbondanza on loan from Napoli with Pierpaolo Manservisi going in the opposite direction. Arrigo Dolso also left (on loan to Varese).

At the end of the first half of the season the Biancocelesti were third, one point behind Palermo and Ternana and two points ahead of Reggiana and Perugia.

With five games to the end of the season there were five teams fighting for promotion: Palermo and Ternana 44 points, Lazio 43, Como 42 and Reggiana 41. With two games to the end, the Biancocelesti had reached second place and a week later they topped the table with Ternana, one point ahead of Palermo and two above Como. All Lazio needed was a point at Bari and that is exactly what happened.

The Biancocelesti were able to secure promotion thanks to an excellent attack with Chinaglia, Massa and Abbondanza, and a very strong defence with goalkeeper Bandoni and Giuseppe Wilson. The midfield was not up to par and there was the need to find better players. They would come in the following season.

Wilson was the player with most appearances this season (48), Chinaglia the top goal scorer (26 goals)

Let’s talk about Massimo Vulpiani

Massimo Vulpiani was born in Rome on January 10, 1951.

He started playing football in his local parish and then joined Pro Roma in the summer of 1966. He then signed for Lazio playing for the youth teams under Francesco Antonazzi and Bob Lovati. In 1970-71 he was in the first eleven of the reserves team, playing every single game. Lazio that year won the tournament.

He debuted in Serie B on October 24, 1971 in the home match against Como which the Biancocelesti won 3-1. It would be his only official appearance with Lazio.

In November he was loaned to Alessandria and the season after sold to Siracusa. He played three years in Sicily in Serie C with 197 league appearances and 23 goals. He then went on to play for Teramo, Banco di Roma and Tor Sapienza.