June 7, 1981: Lazio -Cesena 2-0

Three-horse race

Lazio win crucial promotion clash and join Cesena and Genoa in second place

Player of the day: Roberto Piccinini

Also on this day:

• June 7, 1908, Lazio Win Three Games In One Day. Lazio win three games in one day in Pisa, playing with the same XI. No other club in history has ever managed such a feat.

• June 7, 1958, Lazio Palermo 5-1, Coppa Italia. Lazio thrash second tier Palermo with five goals within the hour mark.

Ticket owned by Dag Jenkins, photo by Dag Jenkins

The season so far

The previous season Lazio had been relegated to Serie B, not on the field but in the Sports Justice Courts. Lazio paid for four of their players' alleged involvement in the Totonero match fixing scandal. Lazio were therefore in Serie B without Bruno Giordano, Lionello Manfredonia, Pino Wilson and Massimo Cacciatori.

The new manager was Ilario Castagner who had done well at Perugia. The Biancocelesti also had several new players to try and bounce straight back up to the top flight. Arriving were goalkeeper Maurizio Moscatelli (Pistoiese), defenders Giorgio Mastropasqua (Bologna), Arcadio Spinozzi (Bologna), midfielders Alberto Bigon (Milan), Giuseppe Greco (Torino), Dario Sanguin (Vicenza) and forward Stefano Chiodi (Milan).

Leaving were defender Mauro Tassotti (Milan), midfielders Vincenzo D'Amico (Torino-luckily he would be back), Antonio Lopez (Palermo), Vincenzo Zucchini (Vicenza) and forward Enrico Todesco (Genoa).

Lazio had promotion ambitions and had started well with 7 wins and 8 draws in the first 15 games but then slowed down. In the next 20 games the Biancocelesti had won 5 (including the recent 2-0 home win against Monza), drawn 10 (including recent 1-1 at Milan) and lost 5. Lazio were currently joint 3rd, on 42 points with Genoa. Today was a crucial game against 2nd placed Cesena. There were three promotion slots available, the table read: Milan 47, Cesena 44, Lazio and Genoa 42, Sampdoria 40.

In Coppa Italia, Lazio qualified for the quarter finals played in March. In August /September, Lazio had won 3 (Pescara 2-0 away, Varese 2-1 and Verona 3-0, both at home) and drawn 1 (Ascoli 0-0 away). They then played the quarter final against Bologna but lost 0-4 on aggregate (with one goal by future Lazio legend, Giuliano Fiorini).

Cesena had finished 4th in Serie B and narrowly missed out on promotion. The manager was Osvaldo Bagnoli and top scorer was Carlo De Bernardi with 11 league goals.

This season the manager was still Bagnoli. The main new signings were: defenders Antonio Perego (Bologna), Giovanni Mei (Atalanta), midfielders Fabrizio Lucchi (Empoli), Franco Bergamaschi (Verona) plus forwards Oliviero Garlini (Fano), Ferdinando Bozzi (Sambenedettese) and Daniele Arrigoni (Udinese - back from loan).

Leaving Romagna were: defenders Mariano Riva (Como), Gabriele Morganti (Catanzaro), midfielders Fabiano Speggiorin (Sambenedettese), Graziano Gori (Taranto) plus forwards Flaviano Zandoli (Reggiana) and Carlo De Bernardi (Atalanta).

The Bianconeri were currently in 2nd place on 44 points. The Romagnoli had won 14 (including Lazio 2-1) drawn 16 (including Milan 1-1 away and 0-0 at home) and lost 6.

In Coppa Italia they had been eliminated in the first-round phase after 1 win (Pistoiese 2-0 at home), 1 draw (Rimini 2-2 at home) and 2 defeats (Atalanta 0-2 and Fiorentina 1-4 both away).

Today was a crucial promotion clash for both sides. With a win Lazio could reach 2nd place while Cesena could put more than a foot in Serie A.

The match: Sunday, June 7, 1981, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

A summery day brought about 40,000 to the Olimpico for this big match.

Lazio had several absences; defenders Carlo Perrone, Paolo Pochesci, and Arcadio Spinozzi plus forward Giuseppe Greco were all suspended. In addition, striker Stefano Chiodi was also unavailable.

Cesena were missing defender Giampiero Ceccarelli and had top scorer Antonio Bordon on the bench.

The fans warmly welcomed back Scudetto legend Giancarlo Oddi before kick-off.

Despite missing five first team players Lazio started with confidence while Cesena had clearly come to the capital for a point.

The Romagnoli's line-up and their defensive tactics made it difficult for Lazio to create many clear-cut chances.

In the 19th minute the Bianconeri were forced to replace an injured forward Ferdinando Bozzi with midfielder Luciano Fusini.

Lazio attacked and had a few chances to score. First Raoul Albani was denied by Angelo Recchi diving low at his feet. In the 34th minute Fernando Viola was beaten to the ball by a fraction of a second by the keeper after an excellent through ball by Alberto Bigon.

In the 35th minute the Laziali appealed for a penalty when Massimo Bonini fouled Dario Sanguin but Barbaresco claimed it was just outside the area.

The visitors, after defending for the whole half, had a chance right at the end. In the 43rd minute Daniele Arrigoni hit a low shot towards the left corner but Dario Marigo got down well to his right and saved. Halftime came with the game still goalless.

The news from the radios was not comforting as Genoa were leading Catania.

For the second half Bagnoli decided to field top scorer Bordon instead of Fabrizio Lucchi.

Lazio continued to be on the front foot and now played with even more determination seeing the current league table situation.

Cesena pulled even further back possibly by choice or forced by Lazio. Viola had a good effort from outside the box but his shot was just off target. Lazio's biggest chance came in the 67th minute but Bigon's header from a Filippo Citterio cross went agonisingly wide.

Castagner then took off Albani and put on a more dynamic Lorenzo Marronaro.

Just as it seemed the Seahorses had weathered the storm the Eagles swooped. In the 73rd minute Giovanni Mei pulled down Bigon at the edge of the area for a freekick. Sanguin rolled it to Citterio who stopped it and in came Viola who hammered a mid-height shot past Recchi. After the game Bigon claimed to have got a touch with his chest in the wall but the goal was given to Viola. Lazio 1 Cesena 0 and wild celebrations in the Olimpico.

Lazio realised it was a favourable moment and insisted. In the 79th minute Sanguin hit a low shot in a crowded area where veteran Renzo Garlaschelli got a touch, the keeper and defender Mei clashed and the ball rolled slowly into the net.  Lazio 2 Cesena 0.

Cesena who had planned their game around defending the point had nothing to give after this double blow. Final score Lazio 2 Cesena 0.

Lazio thoroughly deserved to win this promotion clash. A positive performance full of heart and desire.

With two games to go the table now read; Milan 48, Lazio 44, Genoa 44, Cesena 44, Sampdoria 41, for three places in Serie A.

Who played for Lazio

Marigo, Pighin, Simoni, Mastropasqua, Ghedin, Citterio, Sanguin, Bigon, Albani (69' Marronaro), Viola, Garlaschelli

Substitutes: Nardin, Piccinini, Manzoni, Cenci

Manager: Castagner

Who played for Cesena

Recchi, Mei, Arrigoni, Bonini, Oddi, Perego, Roccotelli, Piraccini, Bozzi (19' Fusini), Lucchi (46' Bordon), Garlini

Substitutes: Dadina, Tondi, Babbi

Manager: Osvaldo Bagnoli

Referee: Barbaresco

Goals: 74' Viola, 79' Mei (og)

What happened next

Then came the June 14 home game against Vicenza.

With the score on 1-1, in the 87th minute Lazio were awarded a penalty. Stefano Chiodi, the specialist who had never missed a penalty, stepped up and obviously missed...hitting the post. Cesena and Genoa won and a demoralised Lazio then only drew the last away game at Taranto and so came 4th. A huge disappointment. Top scorer was Alberto Bigon with 10 goals (9 in B).

Cesena, despite today's defeat, ended up promoted in 3rd place. They won the last two games, 3-1 at Foggia and 2-0 at home to Atalanta and finished on 48 points. Top scorer was Antonio Bordon with 13 league goals.

The final table was Milan 50, Genoa and Cesena 48, Lazio 46. Going down to Serie C were Monza, Atalanta, Taranto (who had started at -5) and Vicenza.

Lets talk about Roberto Piccinini

Source Lazio Wiki

Roberto Piccinini was born in Rome, on May 6, 1991.

He grew up in the Lazio youth sector and in 1978-79 won the Primavera Coppa Italia.

In the 1979-80 season, following the outbreak of the Calcioscommesse scandal in March, he was called up to the first team squad for the remaining games.

He made his debut on April 27 in a home league game against Napoli. It was an unfortunate debut as with a handball he caused the penalty which gave the Partenopei their equaliser. That remained his only game for Lazio. Lazio avoided relegation on the pitch but were then sent down to Serie B as punishment for some of their players' involvement in the betting scandal.

The following year he stayed on at Lazio but only made one appearance on the bench and continued playing for the Primavera (U19s). Lazio narrowly missed out on promotion under manager Ilario Castagner, finishing 4th, also due to infamously missing a penalty in the penultimate game

In 1981 he was sold to Siena. The Bianconeri were in Serie C2 and won promotion under Guido Mammi. Piccinini only played one league game. One of his teammates was future Lazio Massimo Piscedda (1983-84, 1985-90).

He stayed on at Robur in the 1982-83 season. The manager was still Mammi and Siena finished 13th. Piccinini made 4 league appearances.  One of his teammates was future top manager Luigi Delneri (Porto, Roma, Atalanta, Sampdoria and Juventus amongst others).

After his two seasons at Siena retired from professional football. There is more to life than football and many young players if they have trouble making it decide to pursue other routes.

Piccinini played one game for Lazio. Without that handball it is unlikely his career would have been any better but who knows.

Lazio Career

Season	Total Serie A appearances
1979-80	1

Sources

Lazio Wiki (1)

Lazio WIki (2)