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Writer's pictureSimon Basten

Late draw followed by brawl

Fairs Cup, First Round

Wednesday, September 16, 1970


Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Arsenal 2-2


Chinaglia scored twice towards the end of the game to equalise for Lazio but there was a massive punchup between the players in the aftermath.


Source Lazio Wiki

The campionato was yet to start and for the moment there was the Fairs Cup to play. Lazio had had an unlucky draw: Arsenal.

 

The match

 

The rivalry started the day before when Arsenal manager Bertie Mee in the press conference for the British press stated that the game against the Italians was going to be a real battle and he was sure that his players would be physically attacked on the pitch. This was because Juan Carlos Lorenzo, Lazio manager, in the World Cup of 1966 was the head coach of Argentina who were pretty brutal in the game against England. It was so bad that Sir Alf Ramsey described the Argentinians as animals.

 

These declarations certainly did not go down well with the Lazio team and since both Giorgio Chinaglia and Pino Wilson understood English, they could tell when the Arsenal players were making fun of them. In contrast, the Gunners claimed that they were foul-mouthed and spat on during the game.

 

Anyway, the match started with Lazio attacking with shots from outside the box from Ferruccio Mazzola, Chinaglia and Giuseppe Massa. In the 25th minute Pierpaolo Manservisi dribbled past a few defenders but once in front of the keeper shot directly at him, Chinaglia tried to score on the rebound but Frank McLintock managed to save into corner. Long John was dangerous in the 33rd minute with a shot that hit the outside of the net.

 

After a good first half, Lazio had a blackout in the beginning of the second 45 minutes. In the 52nd minute John Radford headed a lob over Michelangelo Sulfaro who was way too far out of the goal and gave the Gunners the lead. Which four minutes later became 2-0. George Armstrong ran down the left and crossed, Nello Governato was busy tying his bootlace, and Radford in complete solitude headed the ball into the net.

 

This one-two almost knocked Lazio out, but they pulled their socks up and started to press the Arsenal team. At this point enter Schulenburg, West German referee. After ignoring a blatant foul on Governato in the box, in the 66th minute he claimed his masterpiece. After a Giuliano Fortunato-Massa-Chinaglia play, Long John tried a shot that was parried into corner by Bob Wilson. On the subsequent corner, Mazzola crossed, Pat Rice intervened with a studs up tackle on Franco Nanni who was about to shoot but Chinaglia then managed to score anyway. At that point the ref gave an indirect free kick to Lazio, not conceding the goal. Huge protests from the Lazio players and fans with an attempted pitch invasion.

 

Massa, Mazzola and Arrigo Dolso tried shots that shaved the woodwork and then Chinaglia decided to sort things out. In the 85th minute Dolso to Chinaglia, big whack, and Lazio reduced the deficit. Mazzola missed the equaliser a few seconds later but then Chinaglia in the 89th minute went solo, dribbled past a couple of players and went forward like a bulldozer. He went past Wilson and shot at goal, on the line McLintock saved with his hands, penalty. Long John made no mistake, Lazio 2 Arsenal 2.

 

A great match from the Biancocelesti despite a terrible referee.

 

Who played for Lazio

 

Manager: Lorenzo

 

Who played for Arsenal

 

Wilson, Rice, McNab, Kelly, McLintock, Roberts, Armstrong, Storey, Radford, Kennedy, Graham

Substitutes: Barnett, Nelson, Woodword, Marinello, Davies

Manager: Mee

 

Referee: Schulenburg

 

Goals: 52’ Radford, 56’ Radford, 85’ Chinaglia, 89’ Chinaglia (pen)

 

Aftermath

 

After the match there was an official dinner for the two teams. As they were leaving Ray Kennedy, maybe as a joke, kicked Giuseppe Papadopulo’s back side. His prompt reaction was an uppercut. This generated a massive brawl between the players. Papdopulo, Sulfaro and Rosario Di Vincenzo were forced to go to hospital to be medicated.

 

The British press claimed that it was the Lazio players who started it, incited by Lorenzo, but one can also read a little vendetta by the Brits following the 1966 battle in the World Cup.

 

Lazio were eventually beaten 2-0 in the return match.

 

Sources


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