Eagles pull away from Snakes fangs

Dag Jenkins
May 19, 2024
4 min read

Updated: May 28

Season 1956-57

Game 31, Serie A

Sunday, May 19, 1957

Stadio San Siro, Milan

Inter-Lazio 0-1

A Bettini goal allows Lazio to move four points clear of 4th placed Inter

So far Lazio, after a bad start (4 defeats in 6 games, including derby), were having another good season and were currently 3rd, on 35 points. Lazio had then won 11, drawn 10 (including Inter 1-1, the derby 2-2 and Juventus 3-3 away) and lost 3.

Inter were currently 4th on 33 points, two behind Lazio. The Nerazzurri had won 10, drawn 13 (including both derbies and Lazio, all 1-1) and lost 7.

Inter came from a home defeat and today the Nerazzurri had a new manager, Giuseppe Meazza again. A difficult game for Lazio but also a golden opportunity to consolidate their 3rd place.

The match

A crowd of 25,000 turned up on a grey day which threatened rain.

Inter played in white while Lazio were in their classic blue strip.

Inter had a few absences: defenders Enzo Bearzot and Giovanni Giacomazzi plus forwards Benito Lorenzi, Oscar Massei and Roger Vonlanthen.

Lazio were without defender Memmo Eufemi, midfielder Luigi Moltrasio and forward Renzo Burini.

Lazio immediately had a huge chance to go in front. In the 2nd minute Humberto Tozzi found himself all alone with only the keeper to beat but he pushed it too far and was anticipated by Giorgio Ghezzi.

Inter answered with a Fulvio Nesti shot well saved by Bob Lovati.

In the13th minute Lazio set up a great team move with Pasquale Vivolo-Ermes Muccinelli-Tozzi but Lorenzo Bettini's final effort was saved into corner by Ghezzi.

There followed lesser opportunities for both sides; Lovati saved comfortably on Giancarlo Rebizzi, a Bettini volley went wide and Rebizzi should have done better but fired high over the bar.

In the 29th minute Tozzi was again one-on-one with the keeper but the result was the same. The Brazilian then had a free kick from the edge of the box in the 37th minute but it was deflected out for a corner. Halftime Inter 0 Lazio 0.

The crowd were not particularly pleased with Inter's performance so far and voiced their discontent.

The second half started in the rain and with a blunder by Giovanni Molino which sent Lennart Skoglund racing towards the area, but he pulled his shot wide. Lovati then parried an Inter freekick behind for a corner.

In the 52nd minute Lazio reappeared when Tozzi set up Bettini, but the Lombard born striker hit it straight at Ghezzi.

The breakthrough came in the 56th minute. A freekick which had originally been awarded to Inter but then overturned was quickly taken by Primo Sentimenti V who teed up Bettini who surged past Guido Vincenzi, went round Ghezzi and put the ball in the top corner. Inter 0 Lazio 1.

Inter's reaction was not exactly fierce however in the 64th minute Giorgio Bernardin had an excellent header, but Lovati was well positioned and safe.

In the 65th minute Lazio almost made it two, but Ghezzi was superb on an Arne Selmosson effort.

Inter now pushed forward more and in the 68th minute were awarded an indirect freekick inside the area for an Umberto Pinardi obstruction on Rebizzi. Skoglund rolled it to Rebizzi whose blistering shot hit the post. In the 71st minute Lovati was alert on a Egisto Pandolfini strike.

In the 77th minute Lazio were denied a blatant penalty when Livio Fongaro hacked Selmosson down in the area.

A minute later Tozzi had a third chance unmarked in front of Ghezzi, but he had not studied how Bettini had done it, and the chance went wasted again. Lazio were almost immediately punished for their wastefulness as on the counterattack Nesti tried to surprise Lovati by shooting from a distance, but he hit the post.

The last minutes were chaotic with Lazio slowing down the game and waiting time while Inter grew increasingly frustrated. The match ended Inter 0 Lazio 1.

The home fans whistled their players but instead for Lazio it was a great win. After a mediocre first half the game had improved in the second and Lazio had deserved the two points. Inter could lament the two posts but Lazio had more chances, a clear penalty not given and had Tozzi been more clinical could have won by a wider margin.

Lazio consolidated their 3rd place and now had a three-point lead on Udinese (0-0 at home to Padova), four on Inter and Sampdoria (1-0 at home to Napoli) and six on Roma (2-3 at home to Juventus). The Biancocelesti were also now only one point behind 2nd placed Fiorentina (0-1 at home to Atalanta). There were now three games to go.

Who played for Inter

Ghezzi, Fongaro, Vincenzi, Dorigo, Bernardin, Nesti, Mereghetti, Pandolfini, Rebizzi, Invernizzi, Skoglund

Manager: Meazza

Who played for Lazio

Lovati, Molino, Lo Buono, Carradori, Pinardi, Sentimenti V, Muccinelli, Tozzi, Bettini, Vivolo, Selmosson