Post Christmas stroll

Dag Jenkins
Dec 27, 2023
3 min read

Season 1936-37

Game 13, Serie A

Sunday, December 27, 1936

Stadio PNF, Rome

Lazio Alessandria 4-0

The Biancocelesti win comfortably against a passive Alessandria

So far, Lazio had played twelve games. The Biancocelesti had started well beating Milan 3-0 and had also beaten Juventus 1-0 at home but had lost the derby 1-3. They had won 7, drawn 3 and lost 2, giving them 17 points in the table and joint top position with Bologna.

Alessandria had so far won 4 (including Juventus 1-0 at home), drawn 1 and lost 7 (including first 4). They were currently 14th on 9 points, just one point above the second and last relegation slot (Napoli on 8).

Lazio were strong favourites today but the Grigi had won four of their last eight games including the most recent one.

The match

A glorious sunny day gathered just under 20,000 spectators for this post-Christmas game.

Lazio had a full-strength team available while Alessandria were missing midfielder Oreste Barale.

The game was one way from the word go. Lazio attacked constantly but in the first half hour were denied by several excellent Ugo Ceresa saves.

The breakthrough finally came in the 35th minute. A good team move by Lazio had Giuseppe Viani, Giovanni Costa, Umberto Busani and Giovanni Riccardi all involved before Silvio Piola sent a mid-height cross in from the right which was finished off by Bruno Camolese from close range, 1-0.

Lazio then doubled their lead immediately. In the 36th minute a lovely Riccardi-Piola one-two allowed the Alessandria-born midfielder to charge forward and beat Ceresa again, 2-0.

A double strike in two minutes which would have floored many teams let alone today's struggling Alessandria.

In the second half Lazio continued to dominate and stacked up corners. In the 57th minute, on their seventh corner, Viani headed down to Piola who struck a crisp, precise shot past Ceresa, 3-0.

Lazio were unstoppable and eight minutes later piled more misery on the visitors. In the 65th minute Busani battled with a defender and managed to cross low into the area, Piola astutely dummied deceiving the keeper and Camolese acrobatically volleyed in, 4-0.

Lazio then eased off and from the 81st minute the Grigi had to continue in ten men as Umberto Lombardo had a bad fall and was forced off.

Any form of contest had long been over anyway as Lazio cruised to a comfortable win.

Lazio had been superior in every aspect of the game. The attack enjoyed the limelight with the goals but the midfield with Viani, Giuseppe Baldo and Luigi Milano had been superb.

Alessandria on today's performance looked like serious relegation candidates.

Lazio were still joint top on 19 points, with Scudetto favourites Bologna. Torino were close behind on 18 points and Juventus on 17.

Alessandria were now 15th as Napoli had defeated Ambrosiana Inter. If the league finished today the Grey Bears would be down

Who played for Lazio

Blason, Zacconi, Monza II, Baldo, Viani I, Milano, Busani, Riccardi, Piola, Camolese, Costa