Lazio go close to Summer glory

Dag Jenkins
May 27, 2024
3 min read

Season 1977-78

Game 6, Summer Cup (Intertoto)

Saturday, May 27, 1978

Olympisch Stadion, Antwerp

Beerschot Antwerp - Lazio 2-2

The Biancocelesti have to settle for 2nd place not helped by local referee

The season so far

The Summer Cup was an International tournament organised by the Swiss Football Federation. It had taken over from the Rappan Cup and would later evolve into the UEFA Intertoto Cup. It started in 1967 and this was Lazio's first participation. There was no final phase and the winners of the 12 groups would all receive a trophy and an economic reward.

Lazio had already played five games with 4 wins (Nantes home and away both 2-1, Sparta Rotterdam 3-2 at home and 2-1 away) and 1 defeat (today's opposition Beerschot Antwerp 2-3 at home). Giordano had scored another 6 goals.

Beerschot Antwerp (from the Wilrijk area) had finished 6th in the Belgian top flight.

In this tournament so far, the Purple White Army had won 4 (Nantes home and away both 2-1, Lazio 3-2 and Sparta Rotterdam 3-1 away) and lost 1 (Sparta Rotterdam 1-2 at home).

The table read Beerschot Antwerp 8 (+4 gd), Lazio 8 (+3), Sparta Rotterdam 4 (+1), Nantes 0 (-8).

To win the group Lazio had to clinch two points in Belgium today as they had an inferior goal difference.

The match

Lazio were missing captain Pino Wilson, in the US playing for New York Cosmos, and Lionello Manfredonia, involved in the World Cup, but otherwise fielded a strong side.

Lazio started the game as if it were a summer friendly but gradually grew into the game. The Biancocelesti took the lead in the 31st minute when Bruno Giordano superbly volleyed in a Renzo Garlaschelli cross, 0-1.

Lazio controlled the proceedings and went to the break one-nil up.

In the second half the hosts were more aggressive and equalised in the 56th minute with Juan Lozano, 1-1.

Lazio needed a win and with Giordano on top form took back the lead in the 64th minute, 1-2.

The referee then missed a deliberate off the ball foul by Lozano on Andrea Agostinelli as he pretended he had not seen it.

Three minutes later Agostinelli was off himself. He received a somewhat harsh second booking and was thus shown a red card.

In ten men Lazio only resisted for three minutes but again the referee was the protagonist.

In the 79th minute the ball accidentally hit Gigi Martini's arm and the Belgian ref, even to the surprise of the local fans, awarded a spot kick. Lozano stepped up and got his brace, 2-2.

The game had little more to say as Lazio with one man less lacked the strength to chase a winner and "de Kielse Ratten" were pleased with a point. The only thing to note was a substitution by the Flemish, as in the 82nd minute they brought on Schranen for Der Haet.

Final score: Beerschot Antwerp 2, Lazio 2.

The game had been relatively even but the referee's decisions had possibly denied Lazio the win.

Final table: Beerschot Antwerp 9 (+4), Lazio 9 (+3), Sparta Rotterdam 5 (+1), Nantes 1 (-8). The Belgians therefore won the group by one goal.

Who played for Beerschot Antwerp

Laurissen, Van Landeghem, Sanon, Toisa, Meeuws, Der Haet (82' Schraenen), Lambert, Lozano, Cabral, Mucher, Van Pelt

Manager: Coppens

Who played for Lazio

Garella, Ghedin, Martini, Perrone, Pighin, Cordova, Garlaschelli, Agostinelli, Giordano, Lopez, Badiani