August 24, 1988: Lazio Licata 3-0, Coppa Italia
- Simon Basten
- 17 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Sosa's Double Masks Another Unconvincing Lazio Performance Against Licata
Licata frustrated Lazio for over an hour before Ruben Sosa's first goals for the club and Rizzolo's late strike secured a victory that was far less comfortable than the scoreline suggested.
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finally been promoted to Serie A after three very problematic years. Manager Eugenio Fascetti had quarrelled with President Gian Marco Calleri and had been sacked in July. Giuseppe Materazzi was called in to replace him.
In the summer transfer window, the club had gone through a mini revolution. In came three foreign players: forwards Ruben Sosa (Real Saragozza) and Gustavo Dezotti (Newell’s Old Boys) plus defender Nelson Gutierrez (River Plate). Other arrivals included midfielders Andrea Icardi (Atalanta) and Claudio Sclosa (Pisa), as well as defender Marco Monti (Virescit Bergamo). Leaving Lazio were Paolo Monelli (Bari), Domenico Caso (Latina), Vincenzo Esposito (Atalanta), Antonio Schillaci (Messina) and Giuseppe Galderisi (Milan, end of loan). In the autumn Luca Brunetti (Taranto), Giancarlo Camolese (Padova) and Gabriele Savino (Brescia) also left.
Serie A started late due to the Seoul Olympic Games, so in order to fill up the calendar there were two Coppa Italia group stages. Lazio were paired with Milan, Pescara, Messina, Campobasso and Licata.
In the first match they had lost 2-1 at Pescara.
The match: Wednesday, August 24, 1988, Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Ruben Sosa scored his first brace for Lazio as the Biancocelesti defeated Licata 3-0 in the Coppa Italia, but the final scoreline did little to disguise another disjointed display from Giuseppe Materazzi's side.
Coming just days after an uninspiring performance in Pescara, Lazio were expected to produce an emphatic response against modest Serie B opposition at the Stadio Flaminio. Instead, they laboured for more than an hour before finally breaking the deadlock from the penalty spot, with Antonio Rizzolo and Sosa eventually adding late goals that gave the result a flattering appearance.
For long spells, Licata were every bit the better organised team.
Materazzi made several changes following the disappointing outing in Pescara. Paolo Beruatto and Andrea Icardi were initially left out, while the injured Gustavo Dezotti remained unavailable. Massimo Piscedda came into the side at full-back, Antonio Acerbis was handed a starting role, and Rizzolo replaced the Argentine striker in attack.
On paper, the alterations promised fresh energy.
Initially, they appeared to have the desired effect.
After only three minutes, Lazio came within inches of taking the lead when Ciro Muro struck the post from close range after a well-worked move. Moments later, the home side were handed a glorious opportunity to open the scoring.
Referee Gianluca Nicchi spotted an improbable foul by Giuseppe Accardi on Rizzolo inside the penalty area and immediately pointed to the spot. Claudio Sclosa stepped up confidently, but his penalty crashed against the post.
The miss summed up Lazio's evening.
Although they enjoyed the majority of possession, the Biancocelesti found themselves repeatedly frustrated by Licata's disciplined zonal defending. The Sicilians, despite possessing far fewer individual talents, remained compact, organised and tactically intelligent, denying Lazio both space and rhythm.
Rizzolo worked tirelessly across the front line, Muro searched constantly for openings and Sosa attempted to create opportunities whenever possible, but the attacking play lacked cohesion.
Behind them, Lazio looked equally uncertain.
Whenever Licata ventured forward on the counter-attack, the defensive frailties displayed in Pescara resurfaced. Nelson Gutiérrez, in particular, struggled to convince, committing several avoidable errors that suggested he was still short of full match fitness.
If the first half had disappointed, the second initially offered little improvement.
Remarkably, it took Lazio 52 minutes to fashion their first genuine scoring opportunity from open play. Sosa threaded an excellent pass into the path of Muro, leaving the striker completely unmarked inside the penalty area. With only goalkeeper Emilio Zangara to beat, Muro somehow fired wide from point-blank range.
The anxiety inside the stadium grew with every passing minute.
Materazzi attempted to alter the course of the game by introducing Icardi in place of Acerbis, but the substitution quickly backfired. Just five minutes after entering the pitch, Icardi reacted to an opponent's challenge and was shown a straight red card, reducing Lazio to ten men.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the breakthrough finally arrived.
In the 65th minute, Zangara brought down the lively Rizzolo as the forward raced onto another through ball. Referee Nicchi had little hesitation in awarding a second penalty.
This time Ruben Sosa took responsibility.
The Uruguayan calmly converted the spot-kick, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to register his first official goal for Lazio and finally relieve the mounting tension around the Flaminio.
Once behind, Licata's resistance gradually faded.
The visitors had defended heroically for more than an hour, but chasing the game opened spaces they had previously denied Lazio. Seven minutes from time, Rizzolo finally received the reward his energetic performance deserved. Latching onto a splendid Sosa assist just outside the penalty area, the young forward finished confidently to double Lazio's advantage.
There was still time for one final flourish.
With the game entering its closing moments, Sosa produced the finest moment of the evening. Collecting possession outside the area, the Uruguayan skipped past his marker before curling a superb finish beyond Zangara to complete his first brace in Biancoceleste colours.
It was a goal worthy of winning any match, even if it arrived after the contest had already been settled.
The 3-0 scoreline suggested a comfortable evening for Lazio, but appearances were deceptive.
The result kept Lazio's Coppa Italia campaign alive, but the performance suggested there was still considerable work to be done before stronger opponents arrived.
Who played for Lazio
Martina, Monti, Piscedda, Pin (55’ Beruatto), Marino, Gutierrez, Rizzolo, Acerbis (46’ Icardi), Muro, Sclosa, Sosa (85’ Di Canio)
Manager: Materazzi
Who played for Licata
Zangara, Napoli, Consagra, Giacomarro, Miranda, Taormina, Accardi (57’ Accardi), Tarantino, Sorce (46’ Donnarumma), Gnoffo, La Rosa (82’ Ficarra)
Substitutes: Bianchi, Cassia
Manager: Papadopulo
Arbitro: Nicchi di Arezzo
Reti: 67’ Sosa (pen), 79’ Rizzolo, 81’ Sosa
What happened next
The Biancocelesti won the next two games of Coppa Italia, arriving third and qualifying for the next round. In this second phase they had to play Fiorentina, Inter and Udinese. They won with the former and the latter and drew against the Nerazzurri, topping their group ahead of Fiorentina. They were later eliminated by Atalanta in the quarter finals.
The Biancocelesti did not have an easy year. They struggled a bit and at the end of the first half of the season they were 14th with a two-point cushion over the relegation zone. They more or less stayed that way for most of the second round of fixtures. With two games to the end of the Campionato they were one point clear of Torino and Pescara. The three teams were fighting to stay in Serie A, two of them would go down. Lazio needed to beat Sampdoria at home to have any chance of avoiding the drop. A rare goal from Dezotti allowed the Biancocelesti to go and play for a draw in the last game at Ascoli. Since the Bianconeri also needed a point to avoid relegation, a predictable goalless draw allowed both teams to survive.
Lazio had potential, but had an over defensive attitude. This translated into 19 draws (11 0-0s!!!) and Materazzi started to be called Mr. 0-0. With only 23 goals scored one really could not ask for more.
The highlight of the season was the 1-0 win in the derby with a Paolo Di Canio goal. The last time the Biancocelesti had won a derby was in 1979.
Dezotti had the most appearances (38), Ruben Sosa was the top goal scorer (12).
Lazio Jersey 1988-89
Image Sources: SS Lazio Museum & Football Kit Archive
The 1988/89 season marked the end of an era for Lazio's partnership with Robe di Kappa.
Although the Turin-based sportswear giant would continue to play a significant role in Italian football, this was the final campaign in which the Biancocelesti wore one of the elegant wool-blend shirts that had become synonymous with the second half of the 1980s. Within twelve months, Umbro would arrive and usher in a completely new look.
For many supporters, however, the 1988/89 jersey remains one of the finest examples of classic Italian football design.
At first glance, the home shirt appeared almost identical to the one worn during the previous season, but several subtle changes distinguished it from its predecessor. The jersey retained the traditional brushed wool (lanetta rasata) fabric that had become a hallmark of Lazio's kits during the decade. Produced by the historic Maglificio Torinese, a company owned by the Robe di Kappa group, the shirt combined timeless styling with exceptional craftsmanship.
The colour was a soft, pale shade of celeste that gave the shirt an elegant and understated appearance. White cuffs and a matching white collar provided a clean contrast, while the club crest was presented as a large embroidered shield rather than a printed badge, giving the jersey a premium finish.
The embroidered Robe di Kappa logo appeared opposite the crest, while the long-serving sponsor Cassa di Risparmio di Roma was applied across the chest using a heat-pressed transfer. Every detail reflected the high manufacturing standards associated with Italian football shirts of the late 1980s.
One of the season's most interesting features concerned the match numbers.
Lazio actually used two different styles during the campaign. The standard numbering, employed for most league fixtures, followed the same design used by Juventus, with large white numerals machine-sewn onto the back of the shirt. However, on several occasions—including the unforgettable Derby della Capitale won 1-0 thanks to Paolo Di Canio's famous goal—the club reverted to the three-dimensional style of numbering introduced during the previous season.
There were also subtle differences between the match-worn shirts and those sold to supporters.
Interestingly, Robe di Kappa did not market the same brushed-wool jerseys worn by the players. Instead, fans could purchase lighter long-sleeved versions without numbers. The retail shirts also featured a red Kappa label inside the collar rather than the green label found on the players' shirts, while the embroidered technical logo differed slightly in colour and finish.
The away kit maintained continuity with previous campaigns.
Once again, Lazio wore a yellow change strip, although the material was updated. The acetate fabric used in earlier seasons was replaced by acrylic, while black Juventus-style numbers were stitched individually onto the back. The overall design remained simple and functional, complementing the elegance of the home shirt.
Another curiosity appeared with the short-sleeved home jersey introduced for the warmer months.
Although almost identical to the long-sleeved version, the embroidered club crest was noticeably denser, with darker and more pronounced celeste stripes. It was a small detail, but one that collectors have used ever since to distinguish the two versions.
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