Lazio draw with Hungarian Champions
- Dag Jenkins
- Jun 13, 2024
- 3 min read
Round of 16, First Leg, Central European Cup
Sunday, June 13, 1937
Mtk-pálya, Budapest
Hungaria-Lazio 1-1
The Romans clinch good draw and can look to return leg with optimism
The season had been extremely positive and Lazio had finished 2nd behind Bologna. The Biancocelesti had won 17 (including Milan 3-0, Juventus 1-0, Inter 1-0 at home, Napoli 5-3 away), drawn 5 and lost 8. Top scorer of Serie A was Piola again with 21 league goals.
Now it was time for the Central European Cup. A prestigious tournament which this year saw teams from seven nations take part: Italy, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Switzerland, Yugoslavia and Romania. This season 16 teams were participating including Italian champions Bologna and winners of the Coppa Italia, Genoa.
Today was the away leg of the last 16 round against Hungária MTK.
Magyar Testgyakorlók Köre Hungária, known as Hungária MTK, were Hungarian Champions. They had won the league ahead of Ferencváros. This was the club from Budapest's 15th Nemzeti Bajnokság I title. The top scorer was László Cseh with 36 league goals.
A difficult game today for Lazio against quality opposition.
The match
A mild and sunny day in the Hungarian capital brought just under 10,000 spectators to the small stadium for a 6 p.m. kick-off.
Lazio fielded their best XI apart from midfielder Bruno Camolese.
Lazio's hope was to limit the damage and at least keep the tie open for the return game in Rome. Lazio's wingers played low and the attack sacrifices itself with more defensive tasks.
Lazio played against the sun in the first half. Hungaria attacked but in the 15th minute Lazio had a chance from a home defensive clearance following a corner but Umberto Busani was wasteful.
The locals then upped the tempo and Giacomo Blason had to dive low to parry a shot by Karl Muller. The keeper from Friuli was then kept busy on efforts by László Cseh and Kardos.
Lazio weathered the storm and in the 25th minute Giovanni Costa, finely set up by Giuseppe Viani, tested the hosts' keeper with a powerful effort which was saved behind for a corner. Lazio then had strikes by Silvio Piola, just wide, and Libero Marchini, blocked by defenders.
In the 28th minute Cseh caused havoc in the Lazio defence but Alfredo Monza relieved the danger by conceding a corner.
For the rest of the half the Magyars attacked but Lazio managed to contain them reasonably well, 0-0 at halftime.
The second half started with Piola going past four opponents and squaring to Busani but his header was saved well by Antal Szabó.
Lazio were now more confident and had a powerful Costa shot hit the side netting and then a favourable opportunity for Busani but his shot was too weak to threaten Szabó.
In the 59th minute Lazio took the lead. Marchini fed Costa who put a good ball into the area where Piola got between the two full-backs and toed the ball in, 0-1.
The Budapesters now went for all-out attack. They stacked up several corners but Lazio looked calm under pressure.
In the 66th minute Sebes went close with a freekick.
Two minutes later the referee awarded Hungaria another freekick for a Luigi Milano handball. This time Muller floated the ball into a crowded area and Cseh headed past Blason who only saw the ball at the last second, 1-1.
Hungaria then pushed forward looking for a winner but it was Lazio who went closer when in the 82nd minute Busani hit the crossbar. Final score: 1-1.
A valiant performance by Lazio who were applauded off the field by the local fans. The spectators were not so generous with their own side who walked off accompanied by whistles of disapproval.
A good result for Lazio against the Hungarian champions. The Biancocelesti had defended for long periods but with great discipline and order and then been dangerous themselves when possible.
The tie, as Lazio had hoped, was still completely open. The return game would be in Rome on June 27.
Who played for Hungaria
Szabo, Kiss, Biro, Sebes, Turay, Dudas, Sas, Muller, Cseh, Kardos, Titkos
Manager: Braun
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Viola
Referee: Krist (Czechoslovakia)
Goals: 59' Piola, 68' Cseh
Sources
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