Two wrongs don’t make a right

Simon Basten
Oct 25, 2023
2 min read

Updated: Nov 2

Season 1986-87

Game 7, Serie B

Sunday, October 26, 1986

Stadio Giovanni Romagnoli, Campobasso

Campobasso Lazio 0-1

A last second penalty awarded to the hosts probably to avoid crowd trouble is missed by Campobasso giving Lazio an important win

After the catastrophic beginning Lazio started to win and reduce the handicap of -9 points. They were currently on -3, but now 5 points away from safety.

The match

This was never going to be an easy match, but those who decided to send Testa from Prato to ref this game made a serious mistake. The man in black made a number of mistakes culminated in a final one that almost cost Lazio the win.

The Campobasso wolves started strongly and in the 7th minute hit the crossbar after a massive Marco Maestripieri whack. Former Biancoceleste player Claudio Vagheggi created havoc as he usually did in the Lazio defence but it was Roberto Russo who had a chance to score in the 16th minute but challenged by Fabio Poli his header was weak. Massimo Mauti on the half hour wasted a sitter after Vagheggi offered him an easy chance.

Eugenio Fascetti seeing all the difficulties Luca Brunetti had in marking Vagheggi, sent in Gabriele Podavini after 30 minutes. He certainly did a better job, also helped by a forced substitution for the hosts that sent Russo for an early shower after he never recovered from a knock on the head earlier in the game. Vagheggi moved to centre forward and Angelo Gregucci controlled him comfortably.

Lazio were more courageous in the second half with Antonio Schillaci taking Poli's place. The Sicilian in the 74th minute opened a gap in the Campobasso defence but Giuliano Fiorini could only shoot in the face of the keeper. Schillaci too had a chance in the 77th minute but his shot was too high.

Now we come to the final 5 minutes. The crowd were already angry with the ref for not having given Campobasso a penalty in the 58th minute when Poli in order to stop Carmelo Parpiglia from scoring after a Russo cross had put Giuliano Terraneo in difficulty. In the 85th minute Paolo Mandelli received the ball from Giorgio Magnocavallo and in front of the keeper was fouled from behind by Carmine Della Pietra. An obvious penalty which Podavini blasted into the net.

The crowd was restless and furious. There was a concrete possibility of a pitch invasion. At this point Testa gave a non-existent penalty to Campobasso. Parpiglia was about to try a bicycle kick, Raimondo Marino had his arms wide, the home forward collapsed to the ground, referee indicated a penalty. Perrone from the spotkick kicked the ball into the stands.

Precious victory for the Biancocelesti, the first win away from home of the season.

Who played for Campobasso

M.Bianchi, Parpiglia, Della Pietra, Anzivino, Lupo, C.Perrone, Maestripieri (54' Baldini), Mauti, Goretti, R.Russo (46' Accardi), Vagheggi

Substitutes: Picca, Pivotto, Boito

Manager: Vitali

Who played for Lazio

Terraneo, Brunetti (30’ Podavini), Magnocavallo, Acerbis, Gregucci, Marino, Poli (66’ A.Schillaci), Caso, Fiorini, Pin, Mandelli