June 29, 1944: Lazio-Roma 3-2, friendly
- Dag Jenkins
- Jun 29
- 6 min read
A derby win is a derby win
It was only a friendly but still satisfying for Lazio after an entertaining game
Also on this day:
The season so far
Lazio had finished 9th the previous season, under Alexander Popovich. The highlights were beating Juventus 5-3 and 4-2, Roma 3-1 and Milan 4-2. Top scorer was Silvio Piola with 21 league games.
This year the manager was Dino Canestri but the war had interrupted football at a national level. There were only tournaments being played at regional level. Lazio took part in the first "Campionato romano di guerra" (Roman War League). It consisted of ten teams and ran from December to June. One of the teams MATER had Fulvio Bernardini as coach (former Lazio and Roma player and future manager of both clubs and Italy).
Many of Lazio's star players had left: defenders Alfredo Monza (Cremonese) and Italo Romagnoli (Portici-on loan), midfielders Alberto Fazio (retired), Enrique Flamini (Peñarol but he would be back), forwards Silvio Piola (Torino, after 159 goals for Lazio), Aldo Puccinelli (Massese but he would be back too), Silvestro Pisa I (Peñarol).
Arriving were: keeper Amedeo Rega (Italia Libera-on loan), midfielders Michele Andreolo (Bologna), Guido Manfré (Chieti), forwards Umberto Lombardini (Alba Roma), Elvezio D'Orazi (Alba Roma) and Giuseppe Mancini (Alba Roma).
A decrease in quality but this was a weaker competition and an emergency situation.
Lazio won the Roman War League. They won 14 and drew 4 and finished one point ahead of Roma. Lazio were Champions of Rome. Top scorer was Umberto Lombardini with 23 goals (21 in the Roman League).
There followed the ulterior tournament between the top four. The teams could integrate players from non-participating ones but Lazio were the only ones who decided against it. Lazio lost in the semi-final to Tirrenia 2-4 and then beat MATER 5-3 to finish 3rd. Roma won the final 4-0 against Tirrenia.
Today’s game was a friendly, if you can ever use such a term for a Lazio vs Roma clash. It was a public holiday in Rome as it was "San Pietro e Paolo" the Patron Saints of the capital city.
Roma had finished 9th in Serie A in 1942-43. This season, as mentioned, Roma had finished 2nd in the War League and then won the four-team competition. The manager was Guido Masetti and top scorer Amedeo Anadei with 16 goals.
The match: Saturday, May 27, 1944, Stadio PNF, Rome
It was a nice, sunny day and a big crowd turned up for this Thursday derby on a public holiday. The ticket money was to be mainly donated to the families of the Ardeatine Fosse victims (335 in response to the Partisan attack in Via Rasella which had killed 33 German soldiers).
Both sides fielded their best possible XI's and the game was spectacular.
The match was balanced from the start. Lazio attacked more in the early stages but Roma responded and forced Amedeo Rega into a couple of difficult saves. The liveliest players were Michele Andreolo for Lazio and Enzo Cozzolini for Roma.
The Giallorossi took the lead in the 35th minute. It was scored by full-back Sergio Andreoli who blasted an unstoppable freekick past Rega. Lazio 0 Roma 1.
Lazio only took five minutes to equalise. In the 40th minute Guido Manfré floated in a freekick from about fifty metres out but the keeper, probably disturbed by the sun in his eyes, let it go over him and into the back of the net. Lazio 1 Roma 1 at half time.
In the second half Roma exchanged Nicola Fusco and Enrico Schiavetti's positions and went back in front almost immediately. In the 46th minute the referee awarded them what the newspapers of the time described as a generous penalty and Amedeo Amedei slotted it in. Lazio 1 Roma 2.
Roma insisted and in the 48th minute hit a post with Fusco.
Lazio then stirred and pushed Roma back. Their efforts were rewarded in the 60th minute when Armando Longhi beat the offside (although there were doubts) and equalised. Lazio 2 Roma 2.
In the 67th minute Longhi was again clear on goal but stopped maybe feeling guilty for the previous possible offside.
Roma were not satisfied with the draw and pushed forward. Rega made some excellent saves, in particular in the 72nd minute when Cozzolini set up Amedei who hit the post and on the rebound Naim Krieziu looked sure to score but was denied by a brilliant stop by the keeper.
Roma attacked but Lazio then stole it on the break. In the 88th minute Giuseppe Mancini raced off on the counter attack and squared to Henglebert Koenig who beat Ippolito Ippoliti for Lazio's winner. Final score Lazio 3 Roma 2.
A very entertaining game to take people's minds off the war if only for an afternoon. Lazio had been more clinical in attack while Roma had also played well and were unlucky to lose. A draw would have been a fairer result but it was Lazio who celebrated with their fans (the crowd was of course still all mixed in those days).
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Canestri
Who played for Roma
Ippoliti, Pastori, Andreoli, Matteini, Salvioli, Jacobini, Krieziu, Fusco, Amadei, Cozzolini, Schiavetti
Manager: Masetti
Referee: Tonnetti
Goals: 35' Andreoli, 40' Manfré, 46' Amadei, 60' Longhi, 88' Lombardini
What happened next
The war continued so the Roman War League was played in 1944-45 too. Then the following year the football league was divided in two groups (North and Centre-South) and it was not until 1946-47 that a single national Serie A returned.
Let's talk about Guido Manfré
Guido Manfré was born in Rome on October 27, 1920.
He came through the Lazio youth academy.
In 1939 he was sent out to Catania on loan. The Etnei were in Serie B and were relegated. Manfré played 21 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia. His managers were first Mario Sernagiotto and then Hungarian György Orth.
In 1940 he was involved in the war and made prisoner in Greece. He was then liberated and in 1941-42 on his return to Italy joined Macerata on loan in Serie C. The Biancorossi finished 9th.
In 1942-43 he played a season with Chieti in Serie C under Enzo Riparbelli. The Neroverdi finished 2nd. Manfré played 16 league games.
In 1943-44 he returned to Lazio and stayed three years. At this point in time the developments in the war had interrupted football at national level. Lazio however continued to play at local level in the Roman War League. This was a league made up of 12 local clubs including Roma. The manager was Dino Canestri and Lazio finished 1st, winning 14 and drawing 4. Manfré played 13 league games plus 4 in an additional tournament between the top four teams (that were all mixed apart from Lazio).
In 1944-45 Lazio finished 2nd behind Roma in the War League. Manfré played 14 league games. Lazio won one derby 2-0 against Roma but lost the other 0-1. He also played 6 in the Coppa Città di Roma (with 1 goal) and 2 in another regional tournament.
The 1945-46 season was divided into a northern league and a centre-south one. Lazio finished 7th. The Biancocelesti had three different managers; Canestri (1-10), player-manager Salvador Gualtieri (11-16) and Tony Cargnelli (17-20). Again, Lazio won one derby and lost the other. Manfré played less, only 3 league games and another 2 in a post-league tournament for the teams that did not qualify for the national finals (only top 4 in each group).
In 1946 Manfré left Lazio and joined Siracusa in group C of Serie B. The Aretusei finished 12th, first under Englebert König and then player Guido Mazzetti. Manfré played 23 league games.
The last years of his career were spent at Notinese (Serie C in 1947-48 and relegated), Benevento (Serie C 1948-50, 2nd and 6th) and finally Tivoli near Rome (4th tier 1950-51, 9th).
At 30 Manfré retired.
He continued playing at amateur level however, turning out for A.C.I. Calcio.
Lazio Career
Season | Total games (goals) | National Serie A-B Centre-South League | Post Serie A-B Centre-South League | Roman War Championship | Other |
1943-44 | 15 | - | - | 13 | 2 |
1944-45 | 22 (1) | - | - | 14 | 8 (1) |
1945-46 | 5 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
Total | 42 (1) | 8 | 29 | 8 |
Sources
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