December 22, 1968: Lazio Catania 1-0

Lazio Stories
Dec 22, 2025
7 min read

Facco’s Header Keeps Lazio Top After Nervy Win Over Catania

Biancocelesti Stay Level with Brescia Despite Sluggish Performance

Other games in December
Season 1968-69

The season so far

The previous season Lazio had arrived 11th in Serie B. A rather dismal performance, so poor that at a certain point the Biancocelesti were very close to the relegation zone. In the end they managed to stay in Serie B but just two points ahead of the five teams that finished on 36 and needed a playoff to determine who would join Novara and Potenza in Serie C (in the end Venezia and Messina were relegated).

The worst thing was the very low number of goals scored: just 27 in 40 games. Certainly not enough to have any chances of promotion. Manager Renato Gei had been sacked in February, substituted by faithful Bob Lovati.

Hence for the 1968-69 season there was a need for a new head coach and new forwards. Juan Carlos Lorenzo returned for his second stint at Lazio and a number of interesting players were signed: defender Mario Facco and midfielder Ferruccio Mazzola from Inter, forward Gian Piero Ghio from Avellino and three loans from Juventus, defender Guido Onor, goalkeeper Pietro Fioravanti and midfielder Elio Rinero.

There was optimism for a return to Serie A.

Lazio had said goodbye to legendary keeper Idilio Cei (Palermo), Paolo Carosi (Catania) and Pieluigi Pagni (Spal on loan).

First, however, there was the Coppa Italia to play in September. Lazio were grouped with Roma, Bologna and Spal. The Biancocelesti lost the derby and drew the other two games 1-1. Roma came top and eventually won the Coppa Italia too.

In Serie B Lazio were currently top together with Brescia and Genoa, one point above Bari and Foggia. A win today would be fundamental.

The match: Sunday, December 22, 1968, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio clung to their place at the top of the table with a laboured but crucial victory over a modest Catania side, sharing the league summit with Brescia after a match that tested the patience of the Stadio Olimpico faithful.

Juan Carlos Lorenzo’s men looked disjointed and muddled for long stretches, and the opening minutes set the tone. After just five minutes, Mario Facco blatantly handled the ball inside the area, but referee Torelli opted to let play continue, sparking early protests from the visitors.

Between the 13th and 17th minutes Lazio finally showed signs of life. Facco narrowly missed a through ball from Nello Governato, then Pierino Cucchi unleashed a thunderous strike that Rino Rado pushed away. The Catania goalkeeper was again called into action moments later, tipping wide an instinctive turn-shot from Gian Piero Ghio, and breathed a sigh of relief in the 24th minute when Ferruccio Mazzola II headed off target from close range.

Catania responded a minute later with their best chance of the half, only for Luciano Limena to squander a sitter from a few metres out. The match then sank into a dull rhythm until the break, with neither side managing to carve out further danger.

A transformed Lazio emerged after halftime, led by an inspired Cucchi who orchestrated wave after wave of attacks. Ghio tried his luck on 50 minutes, followed by a speculative effort from Mazzola II. Shortly after, “Mazzolino” skimmed the post on a clever through-ball from the lively Ghio.

Coach Lorenzo, directing operations from the stands, made a decisive move in the 62nd minute by sending on the young Giuseppe Lorenzetti for Governato. The substitution injected energy into the side: Lorenzetti fired over from a promising position, and moments later Giuliano Fortunato rattled the crossbar with a towering header.

The breakthrough, long anticipated, finally came in the 72nd minute. From a corner by Mazzola II, Carlo Soldo failed to connect, but Facco rose superbly and, in acrobatic fashion, powered a downward header past Rado to give Lazio the lead.

Catania went extremely close to an equalise seven minutes from time, but Rosario Di Vincenzo produced a crucial save to deny Gianfranco Trombini’s fierce drive and then smothered Paolo Carosi’s follow-up effort.

Lazio held firm to secure two vital points — and gained a surprise new goal scorer. Facco’s decisive strike makes him the eleventh different Lazio player to score in the first 12 matches, an impressive testament to the team’s depth in attack.

Who played for Lazio

Di Vincenzo, Zanetti, Facco, Governato (62’ Lorenzetti), Soldo, Marchesi, Massa, Fortunato, Mazzola II, Ghio, Cucchi

Substitute: Fioravanti

Manager: Lovati

DT: Lorenzo

Who played for Catania

Rado, Cherubini, Limena, Vaiani, Strucchi, Buzzacchera, Carosi, Pereni, Girol, Zanon, Trombini

Substitutes: Criscuolo, F.Carrera

Manager: Rubino

What happened next

This game saw the beginning of a two-team lead that lasted the whole season. Brescia and Lazio were either first or second from then on to the end of the tournament. At the end of the first half of the Campionato, and after losing at Reggio Emilia, Lazio were second together with Bari, one point behind Brescia.

On April 20 the big match between the two teams saw the Biancocelesti prevail and take the Serie B lead and when they won at Catania on May 11 the lead became +4. Two weeks later it was +5 on Brescia but more importantly +6 on third place with 5 games to the end of the season.

Serie A was obtained mathematically thanks to a 3-0 win against Lecco on June 8 and the certainty of winning the Serie B championship arrived a week later despite falling to Monza. As a consequence, the Biancocelesti would be playing the Mitropa Cup the following year.

It was a great season, Lazio were strong and had good players in every role. A mix of young talent and experience, well managed by Lorenzo. There was a lot of room for optimism for the 1960-70 season in Serie A.

Let’s talk about Mario Facco

Mario Facco was born in Milan, on January 23, 1946.

He grew up in the Inter youth sector. In 1965 he moved up into the main team. In three years, he only played 1 league game and 2 in Coppa Italia. He was however part of the Inter squad that won the Scudetto in 1966.

In 1968 he joined Lazio. The Biancocelesti had just been relegated and were attempting an immediate return under Juan Carlos Lorenzo. They did also thanks to Facco who played 28 league games with 3 goals (winners against Catania home and away plus Cesena) and 3 games in Coppa Italia.

The following year Lazio had a good season in Serie A with an 8th place under Lorenzo/ Lovati. Facco played slightly less with 18 league games and 3 in Coppa Italia.

In 1970-71 things did not go as well. Lazio were relegated to Serie B with a 15th position finish. Facco played 20 league games with 2 goals (Verona, Fiorentina) and 3 games in Coppa Italia.

The next season saw the arrival of new manager Tommaso Maestrelli and Lazio's history was about to change. The "Maestro" took Lazio straight up to Serie A again. Facco made 32 league appearances with1 goal (Livorno) and 8 in Coppa Italia.

Back in the top flight in 1972-73 Lazio surprised everyone by fighting for the title. They played great football coming 3rd and winning both derbies. Facco played less due to injury making 22 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia.

The 1973-74 season was Lazio's masterpiece. Maestrelli's crazy gang shocked Italy by winning the Scudetto. The Biancocelesti conquered the top of the table after 10 matches and never looked back. On the 12th May 1974 Lazio were crowned "Campioni d'Italia" for the first time. Facco was part of it although he only made 6 league appearances, plus 7 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Varese) and 2 in the UEFA Cup.

After the Scudetto glory Facco left Lazio and joined Avellino in Serie B. The "Irpini" changed managers three times and came 16th. Facco had a good season playing 31 league games with 1 goal.

The following year was better and the green and white wolves came 9th. Facco only missed one league match playing 37 and scoring 1 goal.

The 1976-77 season saw the Avellinesi take a step backwards and finish 14th under Corrado Vinciani. Facco played 36 league games.

The following year Avellino won their first historic promotion to Serie A, under former Lazio player Paolo Carosi, but Facco by then had moved on.

In 1977 he joined Parma in Serie C. The "Ducali" came 3rd under first Gianni Corelli and then Bruno Mora. Facco made 12 league appearances and at 32 retired due to a serious injury.

He had played 243 professional league games with 8 goals plus 32 in cup games. He also earned one U21 Italy cap.

Facco was a classic man-to-man marker of the late 60's and 70s. He was a strong defender but clean, good in the air and a solid tackler. He duelled with the best strikers of his generation; Gigi Riva, Paolino Pulici, Pierino Prati, often getting the better of them. There was one striker he had difficulties against and that was Roberto Bettega. At Lazio he had a good six-year period but his final fall from Maestrelli's line-ups had a name and surname, Trevor Whymark who scored 4 goals in an Ipswich vs Lazio game causing Facco to lose his place to Sergio Petrelli.

On retirement Facco became a manager starting with the Avellino youth sector. He then had a series of B and C teams; Squinzano, Frosinone, Salernitana, Barletta, Benevento, Ternana, Vigor Lamezia and Trapani. In 1990 he called it a day and came back to Rome permanently.

He settled in Fregene on the sea near Rome and slotted back into the Lazio world. He became a popular voice on the radio collaborating with various well-known programmes talking about Lazio. He still kept his unmistakable Milanese accent but became a familiar daily fixture for Lazio fans.

He also became a pundit for Rai becoming the commentators' expert sidekick for the televised Lega Pro games (3rd tier football). In recognition of his services in 2018 Rai and Lega Pro set up the "Trofeo Facco", an award given to the best Serie C goal.

He died in his beloved Fregene in 2018. His legacy in Rome is eternal for his presence in the Lazio 1973-74 team of miracles.

Lazio career

Season	Total games (goals)	Serie A	Serie B	Coppa Italia	UEFA Cup	Fairs Cup	Mitropa Cup	Anglo Italian Cup	Cup of the Alps
1968-69	31 (3)	-	28 (3)	3	-	-	-
1969-70	30 (1)	18	-	3	-	-	2	3	4 (1)
1970-71	28 (3)	20 (2)	-	3	-	2	-		3 (1)
1971-72	40 (1)	-	32 (1)	8	-	-	-
1972-73	28	22	-	4	-	-	-	2
1973-74	15 (1)	6	-	7 (1)	2	-	-
Total	172 (9)	66 (2)	60 (4)	28 (1)	2	2	2	5	7 (2)