February 13, 1983: Lazio Como 2-2
- Dag Jenkins
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Vella remedies defensive blushes
Lazio go up but are let down by hesitations in defence before Vella clinches decent point against promotion rivals
The season so far
Lazio in their third consecutive year in Serie B, after the betting scandal and relegation of 1979-80, had renewed ambitions this year. The previous season had been a depressingly mediocre 11th place but with the return of striker Bruno Giordano and midfielder Lionello Manfredonia (after the world Cup win armistice) they could finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.
The main players who had joined Lazio were goalkeeper Fernando Orsi (Parma), defenders Renato Miele (Catania), Gabriele Podavini (Brescia) and Marco Saltarelli (Lodigiani), midfielders Enrico Vella (Catania) and Roberto Tavola (Juventus- on loan) plus forward Claudio Ambu (Perugia).
Players to leave were the scudetto legends of 1974, keeper Felice Pulici and attacking winger Renzo Garlaschelli plus defenders Giorgio Mastropasqua (Catania), Dario Pighin (Taranto), midfielders Alberto Bigon (Vicenza), Dario Sanguin (Perugia), Fernando Viola (Genoa) and forwards Lorenzo Marronaro (Monza) and Walter Speggiorin (Massese).
This reshuffling of the squad plus the return of clearly superior level players such as Giordano and Manfredonia, added to the talent of fan favourite Vincenzo D'Amico, gave the whole Lazio environment renewed enthusiasm and optimism.
Roberto Clagluna, who had taken over from Ilario Castagner half way through the previous season, had been confirmed.
In the league Lazio got off to a slow start (3 draws) but then started winning games (6 consecutive between 7th and 13th fixtures). Lazio had then drawn the big match against Milan 2-2 at home (D'Amico 90th minute equaliser), won another (Arezzo 2-0 at home) and drawn 3 (Atalanta, Catania away and Cavese at home, all 1-1). In the most recent match however Lazio had fallen to a bad 0-1 defeat at Campobasso. Lazio were currently joint top of the table with Milan on 28 points.
Como had finished 16th in Serie A the previous season and therefore relegated. The manager was at first Pippo Marchioro and then from the 15th fixture, former Lazio player, Gianni Seghedoni. The squad included future Lazio defender Roberto Soldà (1989-92). The highlight was beating Milan 2-0 at home.
This season the manager was Tarcisio Burgnich. The main new players were: defender Stefano Maccoppi (Rhodense - back from loan), Moreno Mannini (Forlì), midfielders Gianfranco Matteoli (Reggiana - back from loan) and Marino Palese (Catanzaro) plus forwards Gianfranco Cinello (Udinese) and Massimo Palanca (Napoli - on loan). Forward Stefano Borgonovo was also up from the youth team.
Leaving Como were defenders Hans-Dieter Mirnegg (Union Wels), Gabriele Morganti (Cesena) and Alessio Tendi (Pistoiese), midfielders Giuseppe De Gradi (Perugia), Adriano Lombardi (Chiasso), Lorenzo Mossini (Reggiana) and Leonardo Occhipinti (Pisa - end of loan) plus forwards Egidio Calloni (Ivrea) and Roberto Di Nicola (Pro Patria).
So far, the Comaschi were in 4th place, on 25 points. They had won 7 (including Milan 1-0 at home), drawn 11 (including Lazio 0-0) and lost 2. They came from two consecutive wins, were unbeaten in five and had not lost away since the opener on September 12.
An important promotion clash today, the table read: Milan 28, Lazio 28, Cavese 26, Como 25, Cremonese 24, Catania 24. Another important game was Milan vs Catania.
The match: Sunday, February 13, 1983, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A dark and cold afternoon saw about 25,000 gather at the Olimpico.
Lazio had the whole squad available while Como were missing defenders Moreno Mannini and Livio Pin plus forward Gianfranco Cinelli.
The game started promisingly for Lazio as they went ahead early on. In the 8th minute Enrico Vella's effort was not held on to by Giuliani and Bruno Giordano pounced and cleverly chipped the keeper, 1-0.
Lazio were now theoretically in the ideal tactical situation but the lead nevertheless did not last long. In the 11th minute Marco Nicoletti put a seemingly innocuous cross in from the left but the Lazio defence and in particular Carlo Perrone were day dreaming and the ball reached Roberto Galia on the far post and his far from unstoppable close-range shot found its way in past a hesitant Nando Orsi, 1-1.
Como with a few passes arrived easily to the Lazio area and in the 20th minute Orsi had to block a Massimo Palanca effort.
In the 23rd minute however, Lazio almost took back the lead when a brilliant Bruno Giordano long range shot hit the crossbar. In the same minute Gabriele Podavini strained a muscle and hobbled off, replaced by Roberto Tavola.
Lazio's defensive deficiencies continued in the 24th minute. In the heart of the area Nicoletti was given time and space by Renato Miele to control the ball, turn and place a low shot past Orsi, 1-2.
The injury to Podavini apart from putting the defence in immediate disarray also forced Lazio to change some of the markings in midfield.
From now on Lazio attacked but only produced a shot on goal in the 39th minute when Roberto Badiani's effort was parried away with open hands by Giuliani.
For the second half the Bianocelesti took off Claudio Ambu and put on a more out and out striker, Stefano Chiodi.
The former Milan forward was then involved in Lazio's equaliser but as an assist man. In the 55th minute after some confusion, and various ricochets to the left of the area, Chiodi pushed the ball to Enrico Vella who curled a wonderful shot into the far-right corner, 2-2.
In the 60th minute the visitors took off forward Massimo Palanca and put on midfielder Giuseppe Maria Butti.
More than half an hour to go for the winner but Lazio showed their current limits and went flat. Their key players looked tired and the Biancocelesti struggled to create any dangers to Como who were reasonably pleased with a point.
In the 83rd minute Lazio had a penalty appeal when Antonio Tempestilli appeared to push Giordano in the box but not for the referee.
Both sides had one real chance each to win it but in the 84th minute Silvano Fontolan's header went wide as did Lionello Manfredonia's seemingly easy one in the 87th.
The game finished 2-2 and was a fair result in the end. Lazio had shown worrying defensive weaknesses and tiredness in some important players such as Manfredonia and D'Amico. A point was not bad but the signs were not promising.
Como had proved to be solid promotion candidates and would probably have a say in the final rush.
The table now read: Milan 29, Lazio 29, Como 26, Cremonese 26, Cavese 26, Catania 26. The other big match Milan vs Catania had also ended in a draw, 0-0, while Cremonese had won and Cavese lost.
Who played for Lazio
Orsi, Podavini (23' Tavola), Saltarelli, Vella, Miele, Perrone, Ambu (46' Chiodi), Manfredonia, Giordano, D'Amico, Badiani
Substitutes: Moscatelli, Pochesci, De Nadai
Manager: Clagluna
Who played for Como
Giuliani, Tempestilli, Galia, Fusi, Fontolan, Soldà, Mancini, Palese, Nicoletti, Matteoli, Palanca (60' Butti)
Substitutes: Radaelli, Casilli, Borgonovo, Macoppi
Manager: Burgnich
Referee: Mattei
Goals: 8' Giordano, 11' Galia, 24' Nicoletti, 55' Vella
What happened next
Things were not perfect but seemed reasonably under control at this point as Lazio were still 2nd with a three-point cushion on 4th place.
In the following fixtures however, Lazio started to struggle. From today to May 8th, Lazio only won twice (Cremonese, Bari), with 7 draws and 3 defeats (Monza, Pistoiese, Varese). After the 3-3 home draw against Reggiana on May 8, Clagluna was sacked and in came former player Giancarlo "El Gaucho" Morrone.
His first match was a 1-5 away defeat to Milan. To make things worse Roma the same day won the Scudetto and the town was painted red and yellow.
Then luckily Lazio picked up and in a crucial game on May 27 beat Atalanta 2-1 at home, drew 0-0 at Arezzo and then won the fundamental promotion clash against Catania 2-1 at home. All that was needed then was a point away at Cava de' Tirreni.
Lazio got the point. A week later they drew 2-2 against Cavese (Miele, Marini). They had a scare when Cavese equalised with a penalty four minutes from time but luckily the "Metelliani Blufoncé" did not go on to spoil Lazio's party.
After three difficult years in Serie B Lazio were back in the big time. The Biancocelesti side of town took to the streets of Rome to celebrate and gathered at Piazza del Popolo. It was not a Scudetto but it almost felt like one. The top scorer was Bruno Giordano with 21 goals (18 in league).
It had not been an easy ride and Lazio's second part of the season was not as positive as the first but they had enough talent to get them over the line and win promotion with a 2nd place finish on 46 points, behind Milan but one point more than a trio on 45 (including Como).
Despite Roma's triumph things were looking up especially with the confirmed return of "Long John" Chinaglia from the States as new president, but that's another story.
Como then challenged for promotion until the end. They finished joint 3rd, on 45 points with Catania and Cremonese. In the remaining games they won 6, drew 7 and lost 4. They returned to Rome for a three-team playoff but then lost 0-1 to Catania and drew 0-0 with Cremonese. The top scorer was Giuseppe Maria Butti with 6 league goals.
Como would come up to Serie A the following year and stayed four seasons. They then had years between second and third tier football but are now back in Serie A. They are now a rich and ambitious club and their future looks bright.
This season it was Milan, Lazio and Catania who went up. At the opposite end Reggiana, Bologna, Foggia and Bari went down to Serie C.
Let's talk about Massimo Palanca
Today in our opponents series we will talk about an iconic 1970s and 80s player.
Massimo Palanca was born in Loreto (Ancona), on August 21, 1951. He and his family (a brother and six sisters) lived in nearby Portorecanati.
At 12 he joined local club Portorecanati’s youth setup.
In 1970, at 19, he moved to Camerino in Serie D. He stayed three seasons playing 71 games and scoring 31 goals. His 18 goals in 1972-73 earned him the attention of Serie C clubs.
In 1973 he signed for Frosinone in the 3rd tier. He played 28 league games and scored 17 goals. The Ciociari finished 9th under former Lazio manager Umberto Mannocci (1964-66).
In 1974 Palanca moved south to Calabria and joined what would be his main club, Catanzaro. He stayed seven seasons. In the first the Giallorossi narrowly missed out on promotion, losing the playoff to Verona. The following year however they won a historic promotion to Serie A. In 1976-77 they were relegated but a year later won promotion again. In 1978-79 they finished a positive 9th in A (and reached the Coppa Italia semi-final), then 12th and 8th. Palanca was their shining star, in 231 appearances (96 in A) he scored 76 goals (37 in A).
In 1981 his performances earned him a move to Napoli. In Naples he did not repeat his previous form and played 29 games (23 in A) with 1 goal (Cesena). The Partenopei finished 4th (UEFA Cup) under Rino Marchesi. Apart from the manager, other Lazio connections were Filippo Citterio (1979-81), Claudio Vinazzani (1983-86), Oscar Damiani (1985-86) and Raimondo Marino (1986-89).
In 1982-83 he spent a season on loan with Como in Serie B. He played 20 league games and scored 2 goals. The Lariani missed out on promotion after a playoff, under Tarcisio Burgnich.
In 1983-84 Palanca was back with Napoli. He played 19 league games with 1 goal (Fiorentina in opener). The manager was first Pietro Santin and then Rino Marchesi and the Azzurri finished 11th. His teammates included future Lazio, Ciro Muro (1987-89).
Palanca then dropped a few leagues and joined Foligno in Serie C2. He stayed two seasons, playing 47 league games and scoring 18 goals. The Biancazzurri finished 5th, under Dante Fortini and 16th (relegated) under Luciano Aristei.
In 1986 he then made a return to the place he had been most successful, Catanzaro. He stayed another four seasons in Calabria. The "Regina del Sud", now in Serie C, won promotion and then finished 5th, 11th and 20th (relegated). He played another 136 games with 51 goals. His managers in his second spell included: Vincenzo Guerini, Tarcisio Burgnich, Gianni Di Marzio and Fausto Silipo.
He then retired in 1990 at 36. He had played 597 career games with 210 goals.
Palanca was a forward. He was short at 1.69 but was quick and had a wonderful left foot. His shoe size was a small 37. He became famous for his goals directly from the corner flag, 13!
At Catanzaro he is a legend. He was their star in the best years in their history. Famous home wins include Milan 1-0, Roma 1-0, Lazio 3-1 and 2-1, Napoli 2-0 while away Lazio 1-0 and Roma 3-1 He played 367 games for the Giallorossi and scored 137 goals (6 against Lazio). He is called “O Rey", "Piedino d'Oro", and "Piedino di fata". Top Italian sports journalist Sandro Ciotti once described his left foot as one of the best in Europe.
With his big bushy moustache and magic corner kicks he was one of standout players and characters of 70s and 80s football in Italy, especially in Catanzaro.
Sources
Comments