January 19, 1936: Lazio-Roma 2-1, Coppa Italia

Dag Jenkins
10 hours ago
7 min read

Finally, a derby win

Lazio score two in first half and then survive Roma comeback

The season so far

Lazio had finished a positive 5th the previous season, under Czech Walter Alt. The Biancocelesti beat Juventus 5-3, Ambrosiana Inter 4-2 while both derbies were draws. Top scorer was Silvio Piola with 21 league goals.

This season Alt was still manager but there had been a few changes to the squad. The main new signings were defenders Alfredo Monza (Livorno), Benedicto Zacconi (Torino), midfielders Giuseppe Baldo (Padova), Bruno Camolese (Vicenza) plus forwards Walter D'Odorico (Padova) and Umberto Visentin (Napoli).

Leaving the capital were defenders Armando Bertagni (Livorno), Armando Del Debbio (Corinthians), Enzio Enrique Serafini (Palestra Italia) plus forwards Alejandro Demaría (Corinthians), Joāo Fantoni I (Cruzeiro) and Leonizio Fantoni III (Cruzeiro). Lazio were losing scorers of 79 league goals but luckily still had Silvio Piola.

So far in Serie A Lazio had played 15 games, with 5 wins, 4 draws and 6 defeats (including derby 0-1). Lazio were joint 14th, on 14 points with Milan and Palermo. A week earlier Lazio had lost 1-2 away to Fiorentina. Piola had scored 11 league goals.

In today's competition, the Coppa Italia, Lazio had eliminated Venezia 2-0 at home to get to this last 16 clash with city rivals Roma.

Roma had finished 4th the previous season, under manager Luigi Barbesino. The top scorer was Enrique Guaita with 28 league goals.

This season Barbesino was still in charge. The main novelties in the squad were defenders Luigi Allemandi (Ambrosiana Inter), Eraldo Monzeglio (Bologna), midfielder Renato Cattaneo (Alessandria) plus forwards Dante Di Benedetti (Rhodense - back from loan), Domenico D' Alberto (Cagliari), former Lazio Piero Pastore (Perugia) and Otello Subinaghi (Cagliari).

Leaving were defender Renato Bodini (Sampierdarenese), midfielder Alejandro Scopelli (escaped abroad to avoid being called up to fight in the Italo-Ethiopian War), Andrés Stagnaro (escaped abroad), plus forwards Fernando Eusebio (Pistoiese) and Enrique Guaita (escaped abroad). The three Argentinians once abroad then returned to their homeland.

In Serie A the Giallorossi were joint 4th, on 16 points with Triestina and Bari. They had won 6, drawn 4 and lost 5. Their most recent game had been a 0-1 home defeat to Palermo.

In Coppa Italia they got to this derby by winning 4-0 away at Foggia.

Roma were favourites today. They were higher in the table and had already beaten Lazio in the league, albeit 1-0 with a last-minute winner. As one knows however in derbies it's not always convenient to be seen as favourites.

The match: Sunday, January 19, 1936, Stadio PNF, Rome

A grey, windy but mild day in the capital with about 15,000 spectators present. The atmosphere was vibrant for this big game.

Lazio were without midfielder Luigi Uneddu while Roma were missing forward Otello Subinaghi.

Lazio had the wind behind them in the first half and took control of the game. The Biancocelesti played in Roma's half for almost the entire period.

This clear superiority brought with it several chances and two goals. In the 34th minute Lazio had a free kick for a handball by Evaristo Frisoni. Giuseppe Viani took it and Guido Masetti saved but the referee claimed he had come out of his designated limit and so awarded an indirect free kick. On the second attempt Anfilogino "Filó" Guarisi passed to Virgilio Felice Levratto who crossed for Bruno Camolese who struck a shot but it was deflected into corner by a defender. It seemed Lazio had missed their chance but, on the corner, Silvio Piola anticipated the keeper and headed in, 1-0.

The second goal came three minutes later. Again, Lazio had a free kick but Masetti tipped Guarisi's attempt over the bar so the Biancocelesti had another corner. This time Camolese, possibly favoured by the wind, hit it straight into the back of the net, 2-0.

In the second half fortunately for Lazio the wind died down slightly but Roma still got the upper hand, pushed forward and had a few chances.

In the 63rd minute Ernesto Tomasi was denied by the woodwork.

In the 68th minute the Giallorossi halved the deficit. The move started with Domenico D'Alberto, then Giacomo Valentini volleyed to Andrea Gabaldi who headed towards the corner of the goal, Giacomo Blason stretched low and managed to touch it but could not keep it out, 2-1.

Roma then almost equalised late on but Fulvio Bernardini's effort shaved the post and hit the side netting. The movement of the net gave some Romanisti the optical illusion of a goal but the celebrations were short lived, at the final whistle it was Lazio 2 Roma 1.

The Lazio fans celebrated wildly as after several years of disappointment they had finally got the better of the "Lupacchiotti". Lazio had not won a derby since October 23, 1932

Lazio had played well both in defence and attack and been tactically perfect. Roma had played more with passion and vigour than with lucidity, lacking balance and attacking organisation.

Lazio had won the derby but were also through to the quarter-finals.

Who played for Lazio

Blason, Zacconi, Monza II, Baldo, Turchi, Viani I, Guarisi, D'Odorico, Piola, Camolese, Levratto

Manager: Alt

Who played for Roma

Masetti, Monzeglio, Allemandi I, Frisoni, Bernardini, Fusco, Cattaneo, Tomasi, Gabaldi, Valentini, D'Alberto

Manager: Barbesino

Referee: Mattea

Goals: 34' Piola, 37' Camolese, 68' Gabaldi

What happened next

In the quarter-finals Lazio were then eliminated by Alessandria 0-1 away.

In Serie A the Biancocelesti finished 7th. After the 27th fixture Alt was replaced by Hungarian József Violak (Viola Italianised). In the remaining games under the Czech they won 4 (including Juventus 3-0 at home), drew 4 (including Triestina 3-3 away from 0-3 down) and lost 4 (including derby 0-1 and Milan 0-5 away). With Viola, Lazio won 2 (Napoli 2-1 away Fiorentina 1-0 at home) and lost 1 (Alessandria 0-2 away on his debut). The top scorer was Piola with 21 goals (19 in A).

Roma finished strongly in the league and came 2nd. In the remaining games they won 10, drew 3 and lost 2. The top scorer in all competitions was Subinaghi with 8 goals (while only in A it was Dante Di Benedetti with 7 in 13 games).

The Scudetto winners were Bologna for the third time. Going down to Serie B were Palermo and Brescia.

Let's talk about Egidio Turchi

Egidio Turchi was born in Pistoia, on October 4, 1913.

He started playing with his hometown club Pistoiese in 1927. He stayed five seasons, playing 65 league games and scoring 1 goal. The Arancioni were in Prima Divisione (2nd tier) and finished 1st (promoted), 12th (relegated), 5th, 10th and 11th in Serie B.

In 1932 he joined Ambrosiana Inter for a season. He played 13 league games and scored 1 goal (Napoli). He also made his debut in Europe. The Nerazzurri finished 2nd in Serie A under manager Árpad Weisz. They reached the Central European Cup final but lost 3-4 on aggregate to Austria Vienna. His teammates included Lazio connections Giuseppe Viani (1934-38), Virgilio Levratto (934-36) and Luigi Allemandi (1938-39, then manager briefly).

In 1933 he returned to Tuscany and joined Livorno for a year. The Amaranto finished 8th in A under Gyula Lelovics. Turchi played 15 league games and scored 2 goals (Fiorentina, Alessandria).

In 1934 he went back home to Pistoiese for a season. The Olandesina was in Serie B and finished 3rd in girone B under manager István Meszáros. Turchi played 25 league games with 5 goals (Cremonese x2, Aquila, Vicenza, Perugia).

In 1935 he signed for Lazio. The Biancocelesti finished 7th, first under Walter Alt and then József Viola. Turchi played 14 league games and 3 in Coppa Italia.

In 1936 he left Rome and moved back to Ambrosiana Inter. The Nerazzurri came 7th under Armando Castellazzi. Turchi played 8 league games with 1 goal.

In 1937 he changed clubs again, went back to Tuscany and joined Lucchese. He stayed in Lucca two seasons, playing 56 games with 2 goals and 3 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal. The Rossoneri were in Serie A and finished 14th and 16th (relegated). He had various managers; Ernest Erbstein, Antonio Vojak, Umberto Calligaris and Armando Bonino. His teammates included future Lazio defender Italo Romagnoli (1940-43).

In 1939 he joined Napoli. The Partenopei finished 13th in Serie A under Adolfo Baloncieri. Turchi played 10 league games and 1 in Coppa Italia. He played alongside Italo Romagnoli again.

In 1940 he signed for nearby Prato in Serie C. He played 27 league games with 1 goal and the Biancoazzurri won the league and promotion to Serie B under Armando Bonino.

In 1942-43 he played a season for Palermo-Juventina. The Rosanero were in Serie B but had to interrupt their participation after the 28th fixture due to the invasion of Sicily in WW2. Turchi played 21 league games, first under Renato Nigiotti and then Beppe Cutrera.

After the war Turchi restarted his career with Pistoiese again. He stayed from 1945 to 1948, playing 53 league games with 2 goals. The Orange were in Serie C and finished 3rd (promoted), 3rd in group B of Serie B and 14th (relegated). His managers were Renato Nigiotti, Árpád Hajós and Ottorino Dugini.

His last club was BPD Colleferro near Rome in 1948-49. He was player-manager and made 9 league appearances. The Rossoneri were in the 4th tier and finished 14th. He then retired at 35.

He continued coaching with Bondenense (Ferrara) in 1949-50 in Serie C (20th and relegated) and Pistoiese 1950-51 in Serie C (16th and relegated after a playoff). He then retired from football altogether.

Turchi was a midfielder. At 1.82 and 75 kilos he was strong physically and was a classic "mediano" (half-back). He had a good club career playing for big clubs such as Inter, Lazio and Napoli plus the satisfaction of playing for and coaching his hometown team Pistoiese. In Pistoia he has a sports complex named after him.

Turchi died at the young age of 43 in Pistoia, on December 2, 1954.