June 5, 1988: Lazio-Brescia 2-0

Dag Jenkins
2 days ago
8 min read

The dream is on

Lazio move two points clear with two games to go, Serie A is in sight

Also on this day:

June 5, 1983, Lazio Catania 2-1. In inhumane conditions Lazio beat the Sicilians thanks to former player Mastropasqua's own goal.
June 5, 1949, Novara Lazio 2-2. Heat and lack of motivation affect the game that however ends up 2-2.

The season so far

The previous season Lazio had dramatically avoided relegation to Serie C. They started the season with a nine-point docking due to one of their player's involvement in the Totonero bis scandal. The manager was Eugenio Fascetti and only a Giuliano Fiorini goal eight minutes from time in the last game of the season and a subsequent win over Campobasso in a three-team playoff allowed them to stay up. The squad were heroes for life at Lazio but another season was about to begin.

Fascetti stayed on and the objective was clearly promotion. The Biancocelesti made some changes to the squad. Arriving were: keeper Silvano Martina (Torino), defender Paolo Beruatto (Torino), midfielders Ciro Muro (Napoli), Gabriele Savino (Vicenza), Gabriele Savino (Vicenza) plus forwards Giuseppe Galderisi (Milan -on loan) and Paolo Monelli (Fiorentina).

Leaving were: keepers Mario Ielpo (Cagliari) Giuliano Terraneo (Lecce), defenders Ernesto Calisti (Fiorentina), Daniele Filisetti (Venezia-Mestre), Gabriele Podavini (Genoa) plus forwards Giuliano Fiorini (Venezia -Mestre), Fabio Poli (Bologna) and Paolo Mandelli (Inter-end of loan). In the autumn, defender Giorgio Magnocavallo also left (Barletta). Some painful departures, especially Podavini, Poli and Fiorini.

So far Lazio were in the heart of the promotion race. There were four places available for the following year's Serie A and Lazio were joint 4th, with Catanzaro on 42 points. The Biancocelesti had won 13, drawn 16 and lost 6. There were three games to go but today was an important moment as Lazio played mid-table Brescia at home while Catanzaro played 2nd placed Lecce away.

Lazio had started off reasonably well (14 points in first 12 matches) but then had seven consecutive draws (not the end of the world but not exactly promotion pace). They had then won 8, drawn 5 (including recent 0-0 away at Bari) and lost 3 and had promotion within their grasp.

In Coppa Italia, in August/September, Lazio had been eliminated in the group phase. They won 3 (Pisa on penalties, Lecce 1-0, Casertana 2-0) and lost 2 (Juventus on penalties after a 1-1 draw and Catanzaro 0-5).

Brescia had finished 14th in Serie A the previous season and were relegated. The manager was Bruno Bolchi and the Rondinelle went down by one point, with three defeats in the last three games. Top scorer was Tullio Gritti with 7 league goals.

This season the manager was Bruno Giorgi. The main new signings were: veteran keeper Ivano Bordon (Sanremese) and a young Luca Marchegiani (Jesi), defenders Mario Manzo (Salernitana), Claudio Testoni (Genoa), midfielder Francesco Mileti and forwards Maurizio Iorio (Fiorentina - back from loan), Pietro Mariani (Torino) and Gianpiero Piovani (Parma - back from loan)

They had two interesting players coming up from the youth team, defender Luca Luzardi and midfielder Eugenio Corini. They also had Inter legend Evaristo Beccalossi in the squad.

Leaving were: goalkeeper Roberto Aliboni (Prato), defender Giampaolo Ceramicola (Cesena), Giuliano Giorgi (Barletta), midfielders Roberto Chierici (Taranto), Augusto Gentilini (Genoa), Luigi Sacchetti (Verona) plus forward Giuseppe De Martino (Ancona).

Brescia were currently in 8th place, on 36 points so, with three games to go, out of the promotion race. The Leonessa had won 10, drawn 16 (including Lazio 0-0) and lost 9.

In Coppa Italia the Lombards had been eliminated in the first group phase, in August /September, after 1 win (Taranto 4-0 at home), 1 draw (Inter 2-2 at home, then won on penalties) and 3 defeats (Reggiana 0-1, Ascoli 0-2 away and Catania 0-1 at home).

Lazio desperately needed the two points today against a side hopefully without too much fire in their bellies.

The match: Sunday, March 27, 1988, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

It had rained in the morning but there was now some sun. The crowd was about 30,000.

Lazio were missing defender Angelo Gregucci and midfielder Vincenzo Esposito.

Brescia were without forward Franco Turchetta.

The Lombards came down to Rome without any pressure and in the first twenty minutes or so had control in midfield. In this period, they had two good chances. The first was a double one, in the 7th minute Francesco Mileti had a long range shot which Silvano Martina parried but it fell to Pietro Mariani who kicked it straight into the keeper's arms. Mileti was involved in the second too when, in the 22nd minute, he got past Raimondo Marino but was then just beaten to the ball by Martina.

Meanwhile after five minutes a curious episode had occurred as Lazio had to change their shorts from white to dark blue as the originals were too similar to the away team's.

After Brescia's second chance Lazio stirred and started to play better. In the 23rd minute Antonio Rizzolo hit the post and in the 25th a Paolo Monelli effort was walled by Alessandro Chiodini.

Lazio now attacked furiously and in the 26th minute came the breakthrough. A cracking freekick by Massimo Piscedda flew in under the crossbar. Lazio 1 Brescia 0.

Lazio went for the kill and continued to push forward. In the 32nd minute Domenico Caso squared to Gabriele Savino whose lob over Ivano Bordon was acrobatically headed off the line by Mario Manzo.

Brescia were no longer able to pass the halfway line but somehow managed to reach halftime only a goal down.

Soon after the beginning of the second half the Brescia manager decided to go for it. In the 53rd minute he took off full-backs Claudio Testoni and Manzo and put on two attacking midfielders Evaristo Beccalossi and Pietro Boninsegna.

It was immediately clear that this was not a great tactical move. Lazio already on top suddenly had even more control and spaces to exploit.

In the 56th minute Rizzolo ran forward from midfield and reached Bordon who however raced off his line and saved. A minute later Paolo Beruatto crossed from the left and Rizzolo jumped up and headed in Lazio's second. Lazio 2 Brescia 0.

The game did not have much more to say after that. Lazio made two more substitutions; Giuseppe Galderisi for Rizzolo in the 75th minute and Ciro Muro for Caso in the 78th.

Lazio controlled the tempo and brought home an important win.

Lazio were now solitary 4th as Catanzaro had lost 0-2 at Lecce. Their destiny was in their own hands. The table read; Bologna 49, Lecce 46, Atalanta 45, Lazio 44, Catanzaro 42, with two games to go.

Brescia were now joint 9th with Padova.

Who played for Lazio

Martina, Marino, Beruatto, Pin, Piscedda, Camolese, Savino, Acerbis, Rizzolo (75' Galderisi), Caso (78' Muro), Monelli

Substitutes: Salafia, Brunetti, Foschi

Manager: Fascetti

Who played for Brescia

Bordon, Testoni (53' Boninsegna), Manzo (53' Beccalossi), Mileti, Chiodini, Argentesi, Occhipinti, Bonometti, Iorio, Zoratto, Mariani

Substitutes: Gandini, Bortolotti, Luzardi

Manager: Giorgi

Referee: Nicchi

Goals: 26' Piscedda, 57' Rizzolo

What happened next

Lazio managed to finally conquer promotion, finishing joint 3rd. It was not easy and a week later Lazio drew 1-1 at Parma.

They then went into the last game of the season, against Taranto at home, needing a win. In a packed Olimpico, already under heavy reconstruction for Italia '90 the Biancocelesti won 3-1 and booked their place back in the top flight after three difficult years. Lazio have been in Serie A ever since. Top scorer was Paolo Monelli with 14 goals (13 in B).

Brescia finished 8th. The Rondinelle then beat Triestina 2-0 at home and drew 1-1 at Arezzo. Top scorers were Iorio and Mariani with 8 league goals each.

Lazio went up to Serie A with champions Bologna plus Lecce and Atalanta. At the opposite end Modena, Triestina and Arezzo descended to Serie C.

Let's talk about Luciano Foschi

Luciano Foschi was born in Albano Laziale (Rome), on July 3, 1967.

Foschi spent all his youth footballing days in the Lazio academy.

In 1984-85 he was sometimes added to the first team squad and appeared on the bench once. It was a negative season for the Biancocelesti who were relegated, first under Paolo Carosi, then Juan Carlos Lorenzo and finally the Giancarlo Oddi-Bob Lovati duo.

In 1985-86 Gigi Simoni took over as manager but Lazio failed to win promotion, ending up mid-table. There were financial problems and Giorgio Chinaglia left in February. In all this Foschi appeared on the bench a couple of times while continuing to play for the Primavera.

In 1986-87 Eugenio Fascetti arrived as manager. Foschi started in two August Coppa Italia games. After the second, against Napoli on August 27, it was announced Lazio had been relegated to Serie C due to one of their players' alleged involvement in the betting scandal. The punishment was then changed to a nine-point docking but Foschi left Lazio in October. He made two appearances for the Biancocelesti in Coppa Italia.

He joined Rondinella Firenze in Serie C1. The Biancorossi were relegated.

He then returned to Lazio in 1987-88. Lazio had managed to stay up in B after a dramatic three-team play-off Fascetti was still manager. The Biancocelesti won promotion and Foschi made one league appearance, coming on for Domenico Caso in the 85th minute in a 2-0 home win against Udinese.

He then left Lazio and played for a multitude of clubs over the next fourteen years; Virescit Bergamo (1988-89, C1, relegated), AVC Vogherese (1989-90, 5th tier, 2nd), Fasano (1990-91, C2, relegated), Olbia (1991-92, C2, 8th), Rimini (1992-93, C2, 3rd), AC Crevalcore (1993-94, C2, 1st and promoted), Lecco (1994-95, C2, 6th), Viterbese (1996-99, C2, 6th, 6th, 1st and promoted), Castel San Pietro (1999-2000, C2, 14th) and Cremonese (2000-01, C2, 7th).

He retired at 34 and started a coaching career.

His first job was at Olbia in 2001-02 in Serie D and the Sardinians won promotion to C2. He then had stints at Novara (2002-04, C2, 1st and promoted, 12th in C1), Ancona (2004, C2, briefly and sacked), Teramo (2004-05, C1, came in during season and sacked), Reggiana (2005-06, C2, 8th, 2006-07 sacked after 4 games), Torres (2007-08, C2, 13th), Alessandria (2008-09, LP2, came in after 19 games, 2nd but promoted, 2009-10, sacked after 12 games) and Savona (2010-11, LP2, came in from fixture 11, 6th).

In 2011-12 he was a technical collaborator with Chievo and then he continued his coaching career at Pordenone (Serie D), Renate (2016-17, LP1, 10th), Livorno (2017-18, C, came in for four games 31-34, Livorno then promoted to B), Ravenna (2018-19, C, 7th 2019-20, 1-27 and first playout game) and Carpi (2020-21, C, came in for four games 20-23).

On September 21 2022 he became Lecco manager and won a historic promotion to Serie B. He was then sacked in October 2023.

He is currently Renate manager again, in Serie C, and finished 5th in the 2024-25 season, then losing in the playoffs.

As a player Foschi was a defender. He played one game for Lazio and then spent his career mainly in 4th tier football. He won two promotions.

As a manager he has made his way around Italy, again mainly in the 3rd and 4th tiers. Until today he has won four promotions. The peak so far was winning promotion to Serie B with Lecco in 2023.