Resilient Lazio earn decent point in promotion clash

Dag Jenkins
Sep 26, 2023
3 min read

Season 1987-88

Game 3, Serie B

Sunday, September 27, 1987

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Bologna 2-2

The Biancocelesti come from behind twice to obtain draw against impressive Bologna

The main objective this year was promotion back to Serie A. In the league, so far Lazio had played two games and had won 1 (Sambenedettese 2-0 at home on debut) and lost 1 (Messina 0-1 away).

So far, Bologna had won 1 (Udinese 2-1 at home) and lost 1 (Lecce 0-3 away on debut).

A big game today at the Olimpico between two promotion candidates.

The match

A crowd of about 30,000 turned up at the Olimpico. It was a hot and sticky day but overcast with a few drops of rain here and there.

Lazio were without midfielder Antonio Acerbis while Bologna had no absences.

Before kick-off Fabio Poli went under the Curva Nord who thanked him for his two seasons in Rome and his crucial goal in the 1987 relegation playoff.

Bologna started better and Eraldo Pecci threatened early on. The Rossoblu took the lead in the 11th minute. Poli crossed into the middle where an unmarked Loris Pradella could not miss, 0-1.

In the first half hour Bologna were in total control.

Lazio had problems with Bologna's pressing but gradually grew in confidence. Giuseppe Galderisi first missed a chance one-on-one with the keeper but then equalised in the 37th minute. Ciro Muro took a corner and after a deflection by Giancarlo Marocchi the diminutive Lazio forward headed past Nello Cusin, 1-1.

Lazio were on a high and Raimondo Marino's powerful strike shaved the post and then in the 44th minute a Gabriele Savino header came back off the post.

The high did not last long as in the 46th minute the visitors scored again. Pecci took a free kick for Poli and the former Lazio player volleyed in with his left foot, a great goal, 1-2 at half time.

Early In the second half Mimmo Caso came on for Giancarlo Camolese. Bologna continued to impress but in the 61st minute Lazio levelled again. Muro set up Paolo Monelli who seemed to have lost the moment but then hit a low shot which went in off the post, 2-2.

Bologna seemed to settle for a point while Lazio wanted more. Their attacks however were well controlled by the visitors' well organised tactical set up.

Both former Lazio outfield players went off, Lorenzo Marronaro in the 73rd minute for Maurizio Gilardi while Poli got more applause despite scoring when he was replaced in the 81st minute by Alessandro Quaggiotto. There was a third former Lazio player in goal, Cusin had briefly been in the Lazio squad in 1984-85.

Meanwhile Lazio had taken Muro off in the 66th minute and put on Massimo Piscedda.

In the end everybody was reasonably happy. Lazio had come back twice to earn a point while Bologna had drawn away, showing at the moment they were more of a team than Lazio who relied more on individual initiatives.

It was early days but both clubs were now joint 6th on three points (with Udinese, Bari, Atalanta, Arezzo, Brescia and Sambenedettese).

Who played for Lazio

Martina, Brunetti, Beruatto, Pin, Gregucci, Marino, Savino, Camolese (50' Caso), Galderisi, Muro (66' Piscedda), Monelli