Lazio push up to second

Dag Jenkins
Oct 18, 2023
3 min read

Season 1980-81

Game 6, Serie B

Sunday, October 19, 1980

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Atalanta 2-0

With a solid performance and 2-0 win the Biancocelesti barge into second promotion slot

Lazio's league debut was on September 14 at home to Palermo and it ended 1-1. The Biancocelesti had since won 2 (Catania and Varese 2-1 at home) and drawn 2 (Verona 1-1 and Pescara 0-0 away). A decent start and Lazio were currently 3rd on 7 points (with Sampdoria), only one behind leaders Milan and SPAL.

In Serie B so far, Atalanta had won 2 (Verona 1-0 and Catania 3-1 at home), drawn 2 (Taranto 0-0 at home on debut, Palermo 1-1 away) and lost 1 (Varese 0-1 away). The Dea was currently solitary 5th on 6 points.

Both teams came from wins but Lazio were favourites to continue their early promotion push. Atalanta however were a bit of a bête noire for Lazio and had not lost in the last seven years at the Olimpico.

The match

A grey day in the capital gathered just under 25,000 spectators for this potential promotion clash.

Lazio were still missing forward Stefano Chiodi but he would not return until November from his suspension (six months due to the 1980 betting scandal).

Atalanta were without midfielder Roberto Filippi.

The Bergamaschi started strongly, they were well organised and quick. In the 8th minute a close-range Gabriele Messina shot forced Maurizio Moscatelli to dive low and save, the ball spun up in the air but was then headed over the bar by the Nerazzurri.

The first fifteen minutes were all Atalanta but without any particular further threats.

Then Lazio started to stir. In the 17th minute Giovanni Vavassori defended well on Renzo Garlaschelli and in the 21st minute a powerful Filippo Citterio strike was blocked by Vavassori with his arm but not intentionally according to the referee (those were the days).

In the 28th minute Lazio lost Giuseppe Greco through injury and on came youngster Raoul Albani. The Lazio midfielder had apparently been in pain for a while and this could possibly explain Lazio's hesitant start.

The game was then played mainly in midfield apart from a Citterio freekick in the 30th minute and a Garlaschelli effort in the 37th minute, both well saved by Maurizio Memo.

In the second half Lazio came out of the blocks a lot better. First a bicycle kick by Alberto Bigon was blocked by Memo and then in the 53rd the Biancocelesti scored. On a long cross by Dario Sanguin the ball went high into the area, Memo hesitated and Albani beat his marker, heading past the keeper, 1-0.

The Lombards answered with a Vavassori shot just wide.

Lazio however were on a high and insisted, with an Andrea Mandorlini deflection almost causing an own goal.

In the 71st minute there were three substitutions, one for Lazio and two for Atalanta; for the former, defender Pietro Ghedin replaced midfielder Sanguin while for the latter, attacking midfielder Augusto Scala replaced defender Gian Filippo Reali plus forward Ezio Bertuzzo came on for midfielder Giuseppe De Biase.

The Orobici, practically with four forwards, pushed for an equaliser but only really went close in the 85th minute when a Bertuzzo freekick whistled past the post.

Three minutes later Lazio closed the contest. In the 88th minute Citterio was tripped up in the area (just outside according to the visitors) by Amedeo Baldizzone and the referee had no doubts. The defender from near Monza took it himself and placed a perfect low penalty to Memo's left, 2-0.

An assured win by Lazio. They had suffered the Dea's energetic start but then grew into the game and struck at the right moments.

Lazio were now 2nd on 9 points (with Sampdoria) while Atalanta were down to 10th on 6 points (with Cesena, Foggia and Pisa).

Who played for Lazio

Moscatelli, Spinozzi, Citterio, Perrone, Pochesci, Mastropasqua, Viola, Sanguin (71' Ghedin), Garlaschelli, Bigon, Greco (28' Albani)