One half not enough

Season 1913-14

Scudetto Final, First Leg

Sunday, July 5, 1914

Campo Sportivo Viale Priocco, Monteferrato

Casale-Lazio 7-1

Lazio battle well for 45 minutes but crumble in second half

Source Lazio WIki

Lazio had again won the Laziale regional group with 10 wins out of 10 (including Fortitudo 7-0 and 9-0, Pro Roma 6-1 and 9-0). In the Central Italy semi-final Lazio had defeated SPES Livorno 4-0 on aggregate and then Internazionale Napoli 9-0 on aggregate. Lazio were in the final again, this time against Casale home and away.

Casale had won the Piedmont-Liguria group with 15 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats. In the next Northern group phase, they had won 8 and lost 2 and qualified for the national final (ahead of Genoa, Inter and Juventus).

Today in Casale Monferrato was the first leg and Casale were considered the overwhelming favourites.

The match

A 17.45 kick-off and fair weather brought a good crowd to the small ground.

Lazio had three important absences in forward and captain Giuseppe Fioranti I, forward Camillo Bona and midfielder Leonardo Luigi Di Napoli II replaced by youngster Arnaldo Perugini.

Casale had midfielder and captain Barbesino (suspended) plus defender Attilio Maggiani missing.

Lazio played an excellent first half. They were solid in defence and quick to counterattack. Casale were superior technically and tactically but Lazio surprisingly held their own.

In the 26th minute however the hosts scored. Amedeo Varese burst down the right wing, cut in and looked as if about to cross but instead shot at goal and managed to beat Clemente Serventi.

Lazio reacted well and attacked until halftime but without equalising. The Romans were applauded off the pitch at the break as a confirmation of the admiration of the home crowd for their efforts.

The second half was a completely different story. The Blacks pushed forward constantly while Lazio tired and collapsed.

In the 51st minute Varese got his brace from close range, 2-0.

In the 54th minute Varese was the assist man for Pietro Alfredo Ferraris, 3-0.

In the 62nd minute Pietro Ravetti finished off a superb vertical team move by the "Neri", 4-0.

In the 65th minute Ravetti scored again, this time with a powerful strike, 5-0.

In the 73rd minute Lazio salvaged some pride with an Angelo Zucchi goal following a corner, 5-1.

It was short lived however as the "Nerostellati” got two more goals with Giovanni Gallina II and Angelo Mattea.

A heavy defeat for Lazio. In the first half they had made up for the gap between the teams with fierce determination. In the second however, as their athleticism waned, the difference in quality between the sides clearly emerged.

The Scudetto was gone but there was still a return leg in Rome to honour in a week's time.

Who played for Casale

A. Gallina I, Scrivano, Busancano, Rosa, Mattea, Parodi, Bertinotti, Varese, Ravetti, G. Gallina II, Ferraris I

Manager: Simonotti

Who played for Lazio

Serventi, Levi II, Monetti, Maranghi, Faccani, Zucchi II, Coraggio, Saraceni I, Consiglio, Corelli, Perugini

Manager: Baccani

Referee: Scamoni

Goals: 26' Varese, 51' Varese, 54' Ferraris I, 62' Ravetti, 65' Ravetti, 73' Zucchi II, 82' Gallina II, 87' Mattea

Sources

Lazio Wiki