August 19, 1973: Viareggio - Lazio 1-4
- Dag Jenkins
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Chinaglia float comes to life in Carnival Town
Two goals by Long John and one each by Nanni and Chimenti give Lazio comeback win in Viareggio
The season so far
Lazio went close to the scudetto the previous season before finishing 3rd. Lazio had been in contention going into the last match but Roma basically let themselves be beaten by Juventus and Lazio were beaten by overly keen Napoli, among allegations of both teams being "incentivated" by the "Old Lady". Meanwhile the other contender Milan fell apart at "fatal Verona".
This season the ccharismatic manager Tommaso Maestrelli was still on the bench. There had been no major changes to the squad. Lazio had received plenty of offers for their best players, Luciano Re Cecconi (Torino), Franco Nanni (Fiorentina and Juventus) and Giorgio Chinaglia (Milan, Juventus, Napoli and Inter). The president Umberto Lenzini, however, managed to resist and keep them all.
There had only been some lesser deals; in came midfielders Sergio Borgo (Pro Patria) and Fausto Inselvini (Brescia) and out went forward Giacomo La Rosa (Palermo) and midfielder Giambattista Moschino (retired).
So basically Lazio were giving the title another go with the same squad. The idea was that they had gone so close the previous season that this year with a little more experience they stood a realistic chance.
Serie A would not start until October 7, away at Vicenza. The Coppa Italia on the other hand would start on August 29, at home to Varese.
Today was Lazio's second summer friendly; apart from Lazio A vs Lazio B 2-3, the Biancocelesti had defeated Sassolese 2-0.
Viareggio is a coastal town in Tuscany more famous for its carnival than its football. From 1949 however it hosts a prestigious youth tournament known as the Viareggio Cup or Coppa Carnevale.
Viareggio were in Serie C. The previous season the Bianconeri had finished 5th in Group B. The manager was Enzo Riccomini and the top scorer was Sergio Dossena with 7 league goals.
Two interesting players in a future Lazio context were defender Mauro Della Martira who would play for the Biancocelesti in 1983-84 and Oreste Cinquini who was sporting director from 2002 to 2004. They also had a former Lazio player, Giampaolo Piaceri (1964-65).
This season the manager was Roberto Balestri. The main new players were; goalkeeper Ugo Tani (Livorno), defender Piero Maggini (Livorno), midfielder Pietro Pittofrati (Messina) and forward Vittorio Schifilliti (Anconitana).
Leaving were; goalkeeper Cinquini (retiring), defender Della Martira (Fiorentina) plus forwards Carlo Bresciani (Fiorentina) and Giampaolo Piaceri (retiring).
The Serie C league would start on September 16 with Viareggio playing a derby against Livorno.
The match: Sunday, August 19, 1973, Stadio dei Pini, Viareggio
A hot evening in Versilia brought 5,000 spectators to the Stadio dei Pini. The game started with a ten-minute delay due to the referee arriving late from Florence...
Lazio fielded a strong line-up. The only players missing were defenders Sergio Petrelli and Luigi Polentes.
The hosts were without midfielder Pietro Pittofrati and forward Vittorio Schifilliti.
The Tuscans surprised Lazio and took the game to them. They attacked and systematically jumped the Lazio midfield. Lazio looked sluggish and the locals moved at double the speed.
It came as no surprise therefore when the Zebras took the lead after eleven minutes. Former Juventus forward Dario Cavallito hit a powerful cross goal shot that Felice Pulici managed to touch but not keep out, 1-0.
Lazio then gradually took control. One problem however was that full-back Gigi Martini pushed forward too much thus overcrowding the midfield. Once he stuck to his classic position then Mario Frustalupi had more space to start dictating the tempo in midfield.
In the 16th minute Giorgio Chinaglia went on a good solo run but could not finish it off. Viareggio keeper Ugo Tani had to save on Franco Nanni twice and Renzo Garlaschelli.
Lazio equalised in the 29th minute. Chinaglia blasted a 30-metre free kick into the top hand corner, 1-1.
Long John repeated himself three minutes later. Frustalupi touched a free kick to Chinaglia who this time kept it low and angled, beating Tani again, 1-2.
In the 42nd minute Nanni had a crack and the ball hit the post then came off the keeper's back and went in, 1-3.
There was then a possible penalty for Lazio on Garlaschelli but the Florentine referee did not give it (many years later Lazio and Chinaglia would have serious problems with Menicucci).
Lazio made four changes for the second while the Viareggini made three. For Lazio off went Nanni, Garlaschelli (slight knock on ribs), Frustalupi and Pierpaolo Manservisi and on came Sergio Borgo, Vito Chimenti, Ferruccio Mazzola and Fausto Inselvini.
Viareggio had run out of their early fire and Lazio bossed the proceedings. Lazio had chances with Luciano Re Cecconi and Chinaglia before scoring their fourth in the 71st minute. Inselvini crossed, reserve keeper Roberto Biagini fumbled and Chimenti poked it in, 1-4.
A minute later Chinaglia was replaced by young Vincenzo D'Amico and soon after defender Domenico Labrocca came on for Mario Facco.
The game had little more to say as Lazio administered the three-goal lead until the end. Final score: Viareggio 1 Lazio 4.
An improved performance by Lazio compared to their previous outing five days earlier. Milan had played here four days earlier and the overwhelming opinion amongst the locals was that Lazio had impressed more.
After a slow start Lazio had taken control with the dominant Frustalupi pulling the strings and an already in-form Chinaglia up front.
Lazio now still had six more friendlies before Serie A started but only two before their Coppa Italia campaign got under way, Frosinone on August 22 and Genoa on August 26.
Who played for Viareggio
Tani (46' Biagini), Perazzini, Torrioni (63' Biagini II), Noris (46' Bertucelli), Maggini, Gritti (46' Costantini), Giampaglia, Ghiandi, Avino (46' Brocchini), Cavallito (66' Dinelli), Dossena
Manager: Balestri
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Facco (75' Labrocca), Martini, Wilson, Oddi, Nanni (46' Borgo), Garlaschelli (46' Chimenti), Re Cecconi, Chinaglia (72' D'Amico), Frustalupi (46' Mazzola), Manservisi (46' Inselvini)
Manager: Maestrelli
Referee: Menicucci
Goals: 11' Cavallito, 29' Chinaglia, 32' Chinaglia, 42' Nanni, 71' Chimenti
What happened next
Lazio had a fantastic season and went on to win their first historic league title. On the 12th May 1974 Lazio were proclaimed Campioni d'Italia!
Lazio won the opener 3-0. Other important wins were the first derby 2-1 (coming from behind), Napoli 1-0 at home and then two weeks later Milan 1-0 at home. In February came the crunch game at home to Juventus. It ended in a 3-1 triumph for Lazio (Garlaschelli and twice Chinaglia) and this was a first definite turning point of the season.
On March 31 Lazio also won the return derby, again coming from behind to beat Roma 2-1 (Chinaglia, D'Amico).
Another key win came in a home game against Verona on April 14 when, 2-1 down at halftime, Lazio stayed on the pitch waiting eagerly for the second half and ended up 4-2 winners. With five games to go Lazio had a four-point lead on Juventus.
Lazio then earned a good away point against Milan and beat Genoa at home 1-0 with a Garlaschelli winner.
Despite losing to Torino on May 5 (only team to beat Lazio twice that season), a week later, on May 12, Lazio came into the penultimate game of the season knowing a win would give them the scudetto.
The opponents were Foggia, Maestrelli's former team, who were desperately battling against relegation. Fans started arriving at the stadium at 6 o'clock in the morning and the gates were opened at 8.45. The hills above the stadium were also packed as, before the roof was added for the Italia '90 world cup, it was possible to follow the game up on Monte Mario near the "Madonnina". It was obviously a sell out but many fans also managed to get in for free, swelling the crowd to explosive levels.
It was a tough game with Lazio playing the last half hour with ten men (Garlaschelli sent off) and Luigi Martini out injured but Lazio got the all-important goal with a Chinaglia penalty in the 60th minute. Foggia threw everyone forward but a tired and comprehensively tense Lazio managed to resist the Satanelli's assaults. On a glorious 1974 May day in Rome the Biancocelesti founded in 1900 were finally Italian Champions!
Maestrelli's crazy gang had done it. A team divided in clans during the week but masterfully brought together by the "Maestro" on match days. They played an entertaining brand of football based on the new Dutch philosophy and thoroughly deserved the title. Like Bologna, Fiorentina and Cagliari before them they had broken the monopoly of the big three (Juve, Milan and Inter). Top scorer had been charismatic Long John Chinaglia with 34 goals in total (24 in Serie A).
In the Coppa Italia the Biancocelesti got through the first group stage with 2 wins (Varese 1-0 and Novara 6-0), a draw (Roma 0-0) and a defeat (Brescia 0-2).
The title race then took precedence and Lazio went out of the Coppa Italia in the second group stage with 3 defeats (Palermo 0-2, Juventus 0-3, Cesena 1-2 all away), two draws (Cesena 1-1 , Juventus 0-0 both at home) and one win (Palermo 1-0 at home). The Scudetto was more important and the choice paid off.
Lazio however would never get to take part in the European Cup a year later. After trouble on the pitch and off it, in a UEFA Cup return match against Ipswich Town, Lazio had been banned from all European competitions for three years, then reduced to one. Lazio players had lost their heads with on field scuffles with opponents and the referee plus crowd trouble, things had got completely out of hand. In Lazio and their fans' defence they had witnessed one of the most scandalous refereeing performances in the history of football by a certain Van der Kraft from Holland (seeing an English defender saving the ball with his hands on the goal line for an unawarded penalty was just one example of the Dutchman's exploits). The punishment was inevitable but it was a pity Lazio were not able to participate in a tournament they had so deserved to be in.
The scudetto celebrations however went on in Rome and the region for months and were enough to help forget the European disappointment. SS. Lazio were Champions of Italy!
Despite beating Livorno 3-0 in the opener, Viareggio ended up relegated. They tried changing managers from Balestri to Ruggero Salar but the Zebras finished 18th. The top scorer was Dario Cavallito with 6 league goals
The Tuscans are now in Eccellenza (5th tier of Italian football).
Let's talk about Domenico Labrocca
Domenico Labrocca known as Mimmo was born in Asmara (Eritrea) on August 15, 1952.
His first professional club was Casertana. He joined the Rossoblu in 1970 and stayed two seasons. The Campani from Caserta were in Serie B but were relegated and then came 6th in Serie C. Labrocca played 56 league games with 2 goals. His managers were Alberto Delfrati (Lazio assistant manager 1967-69), Leonardo Costagliola and Gennaro Rambone.
In 1972 he signed for Lazio but was left at Casertana on loan for another season. He played 13 league games first under Rambone and then Mario David and the Falchetti finished 8th.
In 1973 Labrocca returned to Lazio. He played a few friendlies but never made his league debut. He was however part of the squad that
became Italian champions, winning the Scudetto under Tommaso Maestrelli.
In 1974 he joined Siracusa for a season. The Sicilians were in Serie C and he played 37 league games and scored 8 goals. The manager was Ulderico Sacchella and the Aretusei finished 5th. His teammates included future Lazio, Fortunato Torrisi (1984-86).
In 1975-76 he joined nearby Catania and stayed six seasons (with one on loan at Ragusa in 79-80). He played 190 league games with 5 goals. The Rossoazzurri were initially in Serie B and finished 17th, 19th (relegated), 2nd, 3rd, 1st (promoted to B) and 13th. His managers were Egizio Rubino, Guido Mazzetti, Carmelo Di Bella, Luigi Valsecchi, Carlo Matteucci, Mazzetti again, Adelmo Capelli, Luigi De Petrillo and Mazzettimagain .
In his season at loan at Ragusa he played 22 league games under Franco Pavoni and the Azzurri finished 9th in C2.
In 1981-82 he returned to Siracusa in Serie C2. He played 33 games with 5 goals under Lido Vieri (with brief interlude with former Lazio player Graziano Landoni) and the Lions finished 15th.
In 1982-83 he went back to Catania in Serie B. The Elephants battled for promotion under Gianni Di Marzio but lost in a three-team playoff. Labrocca only played 5 league games. His teammates included Lazio connections; Aldo Cantarutti (1978-79) and Giorgio Mastropasqua (1980-82) plus future top manager Sir Claudio Ranieri.
In 1983 Labrocca joined Ancona for a season. The Dorici were in Serie C1 and finished 8th under Luigi Mascalaito. He played 32 league games with 2 goals.
His last club was Fermana in Serie C2 . In 1984-85 he played 23 league games first under Feliciano Orazi and then Giuseppe Brizzi but the Gialloblu finished 17th and relegated.
At almost 33 he retired but continued playing at amateur level in Rome. He then had some coaching experiences with local Roman clubs, A.S Giustiniana (took them from 8th to 5th tiers) and Sporting Fusta.
Labrocca was a defender but managed to score 22 league goals in his career. He was known for his tireless running and astuteness. He had a decent career especially in Sicily in the second and third tiers. The highlight of his career however was obviously becoming Italian champion with the Lazio Scudetto squad of 1974.
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