August 27, 1961: Lazio -Genoa 3-1, Coppa Italia
- Dag Jenkins
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
Lightning start and promising debut
Three goals in first quarter of an hour give Lazio good cup win against potential promotion rivals
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had been relegated to Serie B for the first time in their history. For the first ten matches the manager had been Fulvio Bernardini and then former player Enrique Flamini had taken over with Jesse Carver as technical director. The only highpoints were beating Roma 2-1 and reaching the Coppa Italia final which they then lost 0-2 to Fiorentina. Top scorer was Orlando Rozzoni with 13 goals (11 in A).
This season the manager was Paolo Todeschini. He had played for Lazio in 1948-49 and had recently coached Milan (with Giuseppe Viani as T.D). The lower category brought numerous changes to the squad.
The main new arrivals were defenders Vincenzo Gasperi (Atalanta), Gilberto Noletti (Milan - on loan), Gianni Seghedoni (Bari), Diego Zanetti (Novara), midfielders Nello Governato (Como), Graziano Landoni (Messina) and forward Dimitri Pinti (Vicenza).
Some big names left, these included keeper Bob Lovati (would retire early in season but never leave Lazio), defenders Franco Janich (Bologna), Franco Carradori (Brescia), Bruno Franzini (Bologna), midfielders Pierluigi Pagni (Cosenza - on loan, he would return and stay another 6 years), Ugo Pozzan (Pisa), Egidio Fumagalli (Novara) plus forward Amos Mariani (Napoli). Eight players with 550 league games between them.
This was Lazio's first official game of the season. If today went well the next round of the cup would not be until October 15.
The Serie B league would start on September 3 with an away game at Cosenza in Calabria.
Genoa had finished 13th in Serie B the previous season. The Rossoblu had started with Annibale Frossi as manager and finished with Angelo Russo (from mid-March). Top scorer was Gastone Bean with 14 league goals.
This season the manager was Renato Gei (former Sampdoria player and manager...). The main new players were: goalkeepers Mario Da Pozzo (Inter) and Leonardo Grosso (Cinzano), Giancarlo Bagnasco (up from the youth team), midfielder Antonio Colombo (Forlì), Livio Fongaro (Inter), Massimo Giacomini (Udinese) plus South-African forward Eddie Firmani (Inter) and Carlo Galli (Udinese). Some good players coming in.
Leaving were: goalkeepers Alfredo Franci (Savona) and Lorenzo Piccoli (Rapallo), defender Fosco Becattini (retiring after 425 league games for Genoa), Eros Beraldo (Cesena), Giuseppe Corradi (Mantova), Luciano Piquè (playing today but soon leaving for Padova), midfielder Leonello Leoni (Cesena), Franco Marmiroli (Modena) plus forwards Giorgio Dal Monte (Rapallo Ruentes) and Bruno Pesaola (Scafatese as player-manager).
A lot of changes for a more ambitious Grifone. This was their season's debut too, while their first league game would be against Verona at home.
The match: Sunday, August 27, 1961, Stadio Flaminio, Rome
On a humid evening a crowd of about 20,000 turned up for this cup game between two of the favourites for promotion.
Lazio were without forwards Mario Maraschi and Orlando Rozzoni both injured and midfielders Nello Governato and Graziano Landoni both on military service duties.
Genoa were missing goalkeeper Mario Da Pozzo, defender Livio Fongaro, midfielder Bruno Baveni and forward Gustavo Bean.
Lazio started at lightning speed and immediately forced Genoa on the back foot. In the 5th minute Guglielmo Mecozzi crossed to Claudio Bizzarri who laid it on for Angelo Longoni but his shot was a couple of centimetres over the bar.
A few minutes later a Longoni-Dimitri Pinti move was finished by Juan Carlos Morrone but the keeper got a foot to it.
In the 9th minute Lazio scored. Pinti managed to steal the ball off Giancarlo Gallesi, went round him and Antonio Colombo, who had rushed back, and floated the ball in from a difficult angle, 1-0. A great goal, applauded at length by the fans.
In the 10th minute Genoa took off forward Giovanni Bolzoni due to a physical problem and put on midfielder Sauro Fracassa.
Two minutes later Lazio got another. Morrone surged down the wing to the by-line where he got in a perfect cross which Bizzarri put into the back of the net anticipating the keeper, 2-0.
Only three more minutes passed and Pinti crossed for Morrone whose strike went into the top hand corner, 3-0.
The visitors were on their knees and unable to react. Their game was slow and predictable. In the 44th minute however they pulled a goal back courtesy of a misunderstanding between Gilberto Noletti and Morrone which allowed Massimo Giacomini to catch Idilio Cei unawares from long range, 3-1.
At halftime Lazio replaced an injured Bizzarri with Paolo Carosi.
The second half had nothing to say. Genoa were unable to change gear and Lazio controlled the game without ever risking to let the win slip away. The Lazio players looked sharper and after the first quarter of an hour the victory was never in doubt.
In the next round Lazio would play Palermo at home on October 15. Now it was time for the league.
Who played for Lazio
Cei, Zanetti, Eufemi, Noletti, Seghedoni, Gasperi, Bizzarri (46' Carosi), Morrone, Pinti, Mecozzi, Longoni
Manager: Todeschini
Who played for Genoa
Gallesi, Bagnasco, Bruno, Piqué, Colombo, Giacomini, Bolzoni (10' Fracassa), Occhetta, Firmani, Rancati, Pantaleoni
Manager: Gei
Referee: Grignani
Goals: 9' Pinti, 11' Bizzarri, 14' Morrone, 44' Giacomini
What happened next
Lazio finished 4th and narrowly missed out on promotion by one point. Todeschini was replaced after 21 matches by Bob Lovati for 5 games and then Carlo Facchini took charge for the last 11 games. Lazio won 14, drew 14 and lost 10. Top scorer was Juan Carlos Morrone with 15 goals (14 in B).
It was therefore not a great season but it could have been enough for promotion had it not been for an extremely controversial episode. On March 4 Lazio played Napoli at home. Lazio were 4th on 27 points and Napoli 5th on 26, so it was an important game. In the 76th minute Giovanni Seghedoni took a free kick for Lazio and scored with the referee pointing to midfield. Lazio celebrated wildly and Pontel, the Napoli keeper, looked gutted but had no complaints. Then the unexpected happened, the linesman claimed the ball had not gone in as a ball boy had picked it up outside the goal and convinced the referee to disallow it. The ball had obviously gone in and then out again through a hole in the net. The Lazio players found the hole but the referee was not interested. The TV images would later show the goal was perfectly valid but it was too late. At the end of the season Napoli were promoted one point ahead of Lazio…with Genoa and Modena.
In Coppa Italia, Lazio then beat Palermo 1-0 but lost in the last 16 to Roma on penalties after a 0-0 draw (Pedro Manfredini scored all 6…).
Genoa had an excellent season and won Serie B. The Genoani won 22 (including Lazio 2-0 at home), drew 10 (including Lazio 0-0 away) and lost 6. Top scorer was Gastone Bean with 20 league goals.
The Rossoblu also won the Alps Cup defeating Bordeaux 5-2 on aggregate, Valenciennes 2-1 away and Grenoble 1-0 in the final.
Let's talk about Paolo Todeschini
Paolo Todeschini was born in Milan, on September 22, 1920.
He came out of the Milan youth sector where he spent his formative years. He made his debut for the first team at 19 in 1939. He then stayed four seasons with the Rossoneri.
In his first, under József Bánás, he played 7 league games and Milan finished 8th.
In his second, under Guido Ara he played 21 league games with 2 goals (Bologna, Torino) and 2 games in Coppa Italia and Milan finished 3rd.
In his third, under Mario Magnozzi, he played 27 league games with 2 goals (Fiorentina, Triestina) and 5 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Reggiana). Milan finished 10th and were runners-up in Coppa Italia (Juventus 2-5 on aggregate).
In his fourth and last year, under Magnozzi again, he played 24 league games and 3 in Coppa Italia and Milan finished 6th.
Then came the war which interrupted official tournaments, but Todeschini played some unofficial games with Foggia.
In 1945-46 after the war, he joined Bologna. The managers were first Alexander Popovic (1-13) and then the duo and Bologna legends Angelo Schiavio and Pietro Genovesi. The Felsinei finished 6th in the Serie A Alta Italia and Todeschini played 23 games with 2 goals (Sampierdarenese, Milan). Bologna won the Alta Italia Cup beating Novara 6-2 on aggregate.
In 1946 Todeschini joined Atalanta where he stayed two seasons. In the first, under Luisito Monti until November and then Ivo Fiorentini, the "Dea" (The Goddess) finished 9th (two draws with Lazio) and he played 26 league games. In his second season, under Fiorentini, the Nerazzurri finished 5th (5-0 and 0-0 against Lazio) and he played 30 league games.
In 1948 Todeschini moved to the capital and joined Lazio. It was an average season for the Biancocelesti who finished 13th. The managers were first Orlando Tognotti and then, after ten matches, Mario Sperone. Todeschini played 15 league games and Lazio's best results were beating Bologna 8-2, Modena 5-1 and Genoa 5-1 while both derbies ended up draws.
After only one year Todeschini left Rome and went south to Naples in Serie B. He stayed three seasons with the Partenopei, from 1949-52.
In the first, under Eraldo Monzeglio the Azzurri won the league and were promoted. Todeschini played 41 league games (out of 42) with 9 goals.
In the second, back in A under Monzeglio, Napoli finished a positive 6th (lost one and drew one vs Lazio). Todeschini played 35 league games with 2 goals. He played alongside former Lazio defender Leandro Remondini.
In his third and last year Napoli did one better and finished 5th (won one and lost one against Lazio). Todeschini played 18 league games and scored 3 goals. One of his teammates were former Lazio, Flavio Cecconi and Dionisio Arce.
In 1953 he moved back to the Milan area and joined Monza in Serie B. The Brianzoli finished 7th under three different managers: Annibale Frossi (1-10), Emilio Zafferri (11-12) and Fioravante Baldi (13-34). Todeschini played 11 league games with 1 goal. His teammates included legendary Lazio keeper Bob Lovati.
Todeschini then played one final year with Mantova in Serie D as player/manager in 1954-55. The Biancorossi finished 3rd in their group and Todeschini played 24 league games with 7 goals.
He then retired in 1955 and became Modena manager in Serie B but was sacked during the season.
In 1956-57 he was in charge at Salernitana in Serie C. The Granata finished 3rd.
Between 1957-59 he was at Pro Vercelli in Serie C. The "Leoni" finished 5th and 7th.
In 1959-60 he was with Vigevano in Serie C but the Biancocelesti were relegated.
He then had a spell with the Italian Olympic team with Nereo Rocco before returning to Milan in the 1960-61 season and the Rossoneri finished 2nd.
In 1961-62 he came back to Rome as Lazio manager in Serie B. He lasted 21 games before being replaced by former teammate Bob Lovati. Lazio narrowly missed out on promotion finishing 4th (not helped by Seghedoni's goal against Napoli being disallowed for allegedly going in through a hole in the net).
Between 1962-64 he was with Cosenza in Serie B. The "Lupi della Sila" (The Sila Wolves) came 14th. The following year he was replaced during the season and the Rossoblu were relegated.
Between 1964-66 he was in charge at Pro Patria in Serie B and finished 9th. The following year he was replaced during the season and the Bustocchi were relegated.
In 1966 he had a brief spell with Virtus Entella (Chiavari) in Serie C but the Biancocelesti were relegated.
In 1967-68 he was manager of Italy's Olympic team. He won the Mediterranean Games but failed to qualify for Mexico '68.
In 1968 he returned to club football and joined Messina in Serie C. The Giallorossi finished 9th.
Between 1970 and 1972 he returned to Entella in Serie C but the Black Devils were relegated in '72, after an 11th place in '71.
In 1972-73 he was manager of Sorrento in Serie C. The “Costieri" finished 12th.
His last job as a manager was with the Italy female national team in 1981-82.
After retiring Todeschini made a name for himself as a well-known and respected sculptor. He had a degree in Architecture and at 40 he graduated from the "Belle Arti" (Fine Arts) in Milan. He sculpted several works based on sports themes, including the bust of Giuseppe Meazza at San Siro and the statue of Fausto Coppi at the Ghisallo (sanctuary in hills above Como), plus numerous others exhibited in various art galleries.
Todeschini was a great club player. He was a midfielder and a strong one, 1.83 and 75 kilos. He played 224 games in Serie A with Milan, Napoli and Lazio. At Milan he went close to winning a Scudetto with a 2nd place finish. At Napoli he won a promotion to Serie A.
At Lazio he was unlucky as he suffered from tachycardia, a problem which was only resolved when he went to Naples (it was a tonsil problem and he was operated). In Rome was unable to play regularly but in the 15 league games he did he always put in good performances.
Lazio Career
Season | Serie A appearances |
1948-49 | 15 |
Sources
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