Good win at the Flaminio
A Mari goal in the first half was enough to beat Torino
Also on this day: January 30, 1949, Lazio Lucchese 2-1. A Lazio in difficulty managed to beat Lucchese in a vital match for the Biancocelesti. Player of the day: Romano Penzo
The season so far
The previous season had been rather dismal. Lazio struggled all year and were involved in the relegation battle. With five games to the end of the campionato they were 16th, one point below safety. Three consecutive wins then took them out of trouble. They finished 14th just one point above relegated Genoa.
The summer transfer window saw more goodbyes than welcomes. Eugenio Fascetti was sold to Messina and Gianni Sassaroli to Avellino. In came midfielder Giovanni Sacco (on loan from Juventus) and forward Nicola Ciccolo. Orlando Rozzoni returned from his loan to Catania. In the autumn session Kurt Christiansen (Catania), Gianfranco Petris and Giampaolo Piaceri (both to Trani) also left. Carlo Galli had retired.
At the end of the first half of the season Lazio were 12th, three points clear of the relegation zone. They had won the away derby with a Vito D’Amato goal. The game in Milan prior to today’s match had been suspended due to fog.
The match: Sunday, January 30, 1966, Stadio Flaminio, Rome
A return to the Stadio Flaminio for the Biancocelesti against a team that was in a good state of form. However, it was Lazio who opened the score early in the match In the 18th minute, the Granata managed to wall a Giampiero Vitali free kick. The Biancoceleste player immediately crossed into the box, the ball reached Alberto Mari who with a powerful shot beat Lido Vieri.
Five minutes later Torino hit the woodwork with a Luigi Meroni shot. Lazio reorganised and towards the end of the first half first Mari and then Nello Governato went close to doubling the Biancoceleste score.
In the second half, Torino had a good chance with a Meroni header and Bruno Bolchi in the 69th minute almost surprised Idilio Cei. But this was the Granata’s last attempt and Lazio several times went close to scoring their second. Paolo Carosi was fouled in the box but the referee was looking the other way. Mari again went close to his brace and in the 82nd minute Vitali missed a good opportunity. Four minutes later Nicola Ciccolo hit the crossbar with a header off a Vito D’Amato cross and a few minutes later missed another easy chance.
A good win for Lazio who were now tenth with a game in hand.
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Mannocci
Who played for Torino
Vieri, Poletti, Fossati, Puia, Cereser, Rosato, Meroni, Ferrini, Orlando, Bolchi, Moschino
Manager: Rocco
Referee: Motta
Goal: 18’ Mari
What happened next
Lazio finished the campionato in 12th place, just two points ahead of Sampdoria who were relegated. The season could have finished better but in the last five games the Biancocelesti only earned one point. A better season than the previous one but not exactly eye opening.
Giampiero Vitali was the player with most appearances (37) and D’Amato the top scorer with 7 goals.
Lazio 1965-66
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 34 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 28 |
Coppa Italia | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 4 |
Total | 37 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 32 |
Top five appearances
Players | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Vitali | 37 | 34 | 3 |
Zanetti | 36 | 34 | 2 |
Dotti | 35 | 32 | 3 |
D'Amato | 34 | 31 | 3 |
Pagni | 33 | 31 | 2 |
Cei | 33 | 30 | 3 |
Top goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
D'Amato | 7 | 7 | - |
Ciccolo | 6 | 5 | 1 |
Renna | 4 | 2 | 2 |
Let's talk about Alberto Mari
Alberto Mari was born on February 26, 1941, in Macerata. He began his football career with Sambenedettese in the beginning of the 1960s but soon left for his military service. During his “year off” he met Giancarlo Morrone. The two became friends and played football together. In the summer transfer window of 1963-64 Morrone mentioned his mate to the Argentinian manager Juan Carlos Lorenzo and Mari joined Lazio.
He stayed for five years, however only in one of those years was he a first team player. He debuted in Serie A on September 29 1963 against Genoa and scored the winning goal. He made 71 appearances (57 in Serie A, 7 in Serie B, 5 in Coppa Italia and 2 in Mitropa Cup) with 8 goals (7 in Serie A and one in Coppa Italia). In 1967-68 he won a reserves championship with the Biancocelesti.
In the summer of 1968 he went back to San Benedetto del Tronto where he stayed for a year before closing his career with Vis Pesaro.
After he retired, he had a long career as manager of minor teams. He started with Vis Velletri in 1979 reaching promotion to Serie D and winning the prize as best manager of the tier. He later obtained two promotions to C1, with Foligno in 1983 and Frosinone in 1987, plus one to Serie C2, in 1981 with Frosinone.
Mari was a diminutive but fast winger and was nicknamed Raven at Lazio. But he did not leave a mark. Mind you, those were pretty dismal years for the Biancocelesti.
Lazio Career
Season | Total games (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia | Mitropa Cup |
1963-64 | 7 (1) | 6 (1) | - | 1 | - |
1964-65 | 27 (3) | 26 (3) | - | 1 | - |
1965-66 | 16 (3) | 14 (2) | - | 2 (1) | - |
1966-67 | 13 (1) | 11 (1) | - | - | 2 |
1967-68 | 8 | - | 7 | 1 | - |
Total | 71 (8) | 57 (7) | 7 | 5 (1) | 2 |
Sources