July 1, 1987: Lazio -Torino 1-0, Primavera

Dag Jenkins
Jul 1, 2025
6 min read

Second Primavera Scudetto!!

A prestigious win for the Primavera who added a second Scudetto to their trophy cabinet in a difficult moment in the club's history and eleven years after the first in 1976.

Player of the day Antonio Delucca

Also on this day:

July 1, 1923: Lazio Savoia 4-1. Lazio thrash Savoia with a Bernardini hat-trick and reach Scudetto final

Lazio had won their first and only U19s league title in 1976. The team included the likes of Bruno Giordano, Lionello Manfredonia and Andrea Agostinelli.

Lazio had then reached the semi-finals in 1982, the finals both in 1985 (lost to Torino 0-3 on aggregate) and 1986 (lost to Cesena 1-2 on aggregate). They had won the Coppa Italia in 1979 but now was another chance to become Italian Champions again.

In the regular season Lazio had won 15, drawn 6 and lost 1. In the next phase the Biancocelesti had won 4 (including Roma 1-0 away), drawn 1 (Roma 0-0 at home) and lost 1 and qualified for the final.

The Lazio head coach was Juan Carlos Morrone. The Argentine known as "El Gaucho" had played 259 games for Lazio with 53 goals (1960-64, 1966-71). It was his last game in charge as the following season he was taking over the Napoli U19s. He would have liked to stay but the owners had other plans.

The first leg had been played the previous Sunday June 28 and finished 0-0. Torino had attacked more but Lazio keeper Valerio Fiori's saves and a post had given Lazio a precious draw.

Torino had a solid academy and had already won the Primavera Scudetto five times (1967, 1968, 1970, 1977 and 1985). At the time they were the most winning club (Roma followed with four titles).

The match: Wednesday, July 1, 1987, Stadio Flaminio, Rome

The game was played at the Stadio Flaminio in front of about 10,000 spectators including Lazio president Gianmarco Calleri and the whole first team squad. The kick off was at 18.30

The fans had eyes on the game and ears on their transistor radios. The Lazio first team were involved in a three-team playoff in Naples to avoid Serie C, having started with a nine-point handicap. Lazio had lost the first game 0-1 to Taranto and the Tarantini were currently playing Campobasso in the second match (K.O 17.30). The result was obviously important for Lazio’s chances of survival and at kick-off in Rome the score was 0-0, so far so good.

At the Flaminio, Torino were more dangerous in the early stages. Valerio Fiori saved well on Diego Fuser in the 6th minute, on Gianluca Lentini in the 13th and on a Giorgio Bresciani shot under the crossbar in the 15th.

Meanwhile the crowd had let off a collective sigh of disappointment around the quarter hour mark as news came through that Evangelisti had put Campobasso ahead in Naples.

Lazio stirred and had a couple of chances especially with Federico Agostinelli but he was off target from a favourable position.

In the 33rd minute the crowd exploded with joy as Taranto had equalised in Naples with Paolinelli. A draw would still give Lazio hope.

The news must have given the boys on the field enthusiasm as only ten seconds later they scored. Antonio Rizzolo headed in a Giampaolo Saurini cross from the right to put Lazio in front, 1-0. A curious fact is that Saurini had lost his right boot but still managed to get a perfect cross in. Halftime came with Lazio in the lead, 1-0.

During the break came another roar from the stands as the news spread that the game in Naples had ended in a draw. Lazio now had to beat Campobasso to be mathematically safe.

The second half at the Flaminio saw Torino constantly forward looking for an equaliser. Lazio however had already proved in Turin that they had a solid defence. The Granata attacked but had difficulty creating clear cut chances.

In the 69th minute Gianluca Sordo came on for D'Agostino.

In the 76th minute Bresciani blasted over the bar after Lentini had set him up with a clever backheel.

In the 77th minute came the Granata's biggest opportunity. Lentini twisted and directed an excellent volley towards the top hand corner but Fiori was feline in his reaction and tipped it out for a corner.

In the 78th minute the visitors made their second substitution, bringing on Andrea Menghini for Paolo Bellatorre.

By now the game was practically played out in Lazio's half but Fiori was not called to any more miracles and only had to be alert on high balls and corners.

Lazio changed a couple of players towards the end, Stefano Bernardi for Saurini in the 85th minute and Alfonso Greco for Rizzolo in the 88th.

Lazio held out and there were scenes of joy at the final whistle. The most celebrated was Morrone who had finally triumphed after two defeats in the previous years' finals. A "Grazie Giancarlo" banner was displayed in the Curva.

The fact that he was leaving was confirmed by the fact that president Calleri did not go down to the changing rooms as is customary to congratulate the team and coach. The Argentine then dedicated the win to Giorgio Chinaglia.

A prestigious win for the Primavera who added a second Scudetto to their trophy cabinet in a difficult moment in the club's history and eleven years after the first in 1976.

Who played for Lazio

Fiori, Delucca, Amato, Bertocchi, Valentini, Agostinelli, Saurini (85' Bernardi), Cacciatore, Rizzolo (88' Greco), Conti, Biagioni

Substitutes: De Angelis, Pallotta, Conte

Manager: Morrone

Who played for Torino

Boccafogli, Cuicchi, Di Bin, Chiti, Fogli, Fuser, Lentini, Venturin, Bresciani, D'Agostino (69' Sordo), Bellatorre (78' Menghini)

Substitutes: Di Sarno, Bolognesi, Catena

Manager: Vatta

Referee: Piretti

Goal: 34' Rizzolo

What happened next

Since then Lazio have won the Scudetto another three times (1995, 2001 and 2013). They now have 5 titles.

Of the Lazio squad several went on to play for the first team:

Valerio Fiori played 117 league games and 13 in Coppa Italia
Antonio Rizzolo played 42 league games with 6 goals and 8 games in Coppa Italia with 2 goals
Giampaolo Saurini played 12 league games with 1 goal
Alfonso Greco played 11 league games
Oberdan Biagioni played 3 league games
Antonio Delucca played 2 games in Coppa Italia
Luciano Foschi played 1 league game and 2 games in Coppa Italia
Federico Agostinelli played 1 league game
Massimo Falessi played 2 games in Coppa Italia
Rodolfo Gentilini played 2 games in Coppa Italia
Juan Carlos Morrone had been Lazio head coach briefly in May-June 1983 with Bob Lovati. They took over from Roberto Clagluna for the last five games and won promotion back to Serie A. He was of course a former player with 259 appearances and 53 goals.

Torino won it the following year and again in 1991, 1992 and 2015. They now have 9 titles. Only Inter have more with 10.

Of today's squad the ones who went on to play for the Granata were:

Gianluigi Lentini played 204 league games in three different spells with 22 goals. He also played for Milan
Giorgio Venturin played 139 league games in four different spells with 5 goals. He played 80 league games for Lazio in 1994-95 and 1996-99 with 2 goals and won a Coppa Italia and a Supercoppa
Gianluca Sordo played 117 league games with 7 goals
Giorgio Bresciani played 95 league games with 23 goals
Diego Fuser played 49 league games with 4 goals, 19 games in Coppa Italia and 1 in the UEFA Cup. He then played for Milan and later came to Lazio and played 242 games with 42 goals and won the Coppa Italia in 1998
Andrea Menghini played 3 league games
Riki Di Bin played 2 league games
Paolo Bellatorre played 1 league game
Fabrizio Boccafogli played 1 league game
Paolo Di Sarno would one day briefly be in the Lazio squad (August 1992-November 1992) but never played
Today's head coach Sergio Vatta joined Lazio in 1998 and was in charge of the youth academy until 2001 (when Lazio won Primavera title and U15s title)

Let’s talk about Antonio Delucca

Antonio Delucca was born in Rome on October 7, 1968.

He went through the whole Lazio youth sector playing for all the various age groups.

He won the Primavera Scudetto in 1987.

In 1986-87 he was also part of the Lazio first team squad list and played two games in Coppa Italia. It was the season Lazio started at -9 and stayed up after a dramatic three-team playoff in July. The players and manager Eugenio Fascetti became heroes for life.

In 1987-88 he was loaned to Monza in Serie C but played for the Primavera.

In 1988-89 he returned to Lazio who were now back in Serie A. Delucca however played for the Primavera again.

In 1989 he joined Avezzano for a few seasons in the 4th tier playing 34 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia. He then retired at 24.

Delucca was a central defender and in the end was one of the many U19 prospects who hover around the fringes of professional football but then for one reason or another do not make it.