Hansen advantage on B-zone

Dag Jenkins
Apr 3, 2024
4 min read

Season 1954-55

Game 25, Serie A

Sunday, April 3, 1955

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Catania 1-0

A goal by the Dane gives Lazio a deserved win and a comforting lead on the relegation slots

Lazio so far were having a similar season to the previous. The Biancocelesti were currently in joint 11th place, with Triestina, on 22 points, five from relegation. Lazio had won 9 (including Inter 3-2, Juventus 2-1 at home and Roma 3-1), drawn 4 (including derby 1-1) and lost 11 (including Catania 0-1 and Torino 1-3 away in the most recent game). Prior to the defeat in Turin the Biancocelesti had won five in a row.

Catania were one point below, on 21 points and in 13th place with Genoa (+4 on B). The Rossoblu had won 6 (including Udinese 5-0 and Lazio 1-0 at home), drawn 9 (including Juventus 1-1 away, Inter 1-1 and Juventus 2-2 at home) and lost 9 (including most recent Novara 0-2 away).

A relegation clash today. Not a desperate one at this point but both teams had to be careful not to fall further down the table.

The match

A sunny day attracted about 40,000 spectators to the Olimpico, officially called Stadio dei Centomila (1953-60).

Lazio were missing midfielder Luigi Fuin while Catania were without midfielder Jone Spartano and winger Renato Cattaneo.

It soon became clear that this would not be an easy game for Lazio mainly due to the visitors' extremely defensive approach, the famous "catenaccio". To give an idea of the Sicilians tactical setup, after five minutes forward Karl Hansen seemed to be playing at full-back and after ten minutes winger Guido Klein was also pulled back into defence.

The game was basically attack against defence with all the players apart from Giuseppe Zibetti in the Rossoazzurro half.

Lazio played with the wind at their backs. In the 5th minute Ezio Bardelli made his first save of the afternoon on a John Hansen effort and then repeated himself on a long-range Attilio Giovannini shot.

In the 9th minute the visitors had a rare foray into Lazio's half but Zibetti was safe on a Michele Manenti header.

Lazio continued to attack and piled up corners. In the 20th minute a threatening Pasquale Vivolo volley was blocked by Bardelli.

In the 29th minute Hansen headed on to Vivolo who beat Ferruccio Santamaria and scored but the referee disallowed it for a very debatable offside position.

Lazio pushed forward but were unable to break down the Catanese fortress. Half time: Lazio 0 Catania 0.

In the second half Catania played with the wind in their favour but had no intention of changing their game plan.

In the 51st minute Lazio appealed for a penalty when Karl Hansen intercepted a Vittorio Bergamo freekick with his arm. The referee judged it involuntary. Fair enough but two minutes later Nicola Fusco clearly and intentionally stopped a Vivolo shot with his hand but again the referee said to play on. Lazio then had a third request for a penalty when Fusco blatantly held back John Hansen by his shirt when he was about to shoot but the referee only gave a corner. The situation was becoming comical.

There followed several scrambles in the Etnei's area, a Renzo Sassi shot just wide and a Primo Sentimenti V bicycle kick just off target.

In the 68th minute Lazio had a huge chance when John Hansen's header came back off the crossbar and came back to Sassi who managed to miss from about four metres.

The Catania goal seemed jinxed but then in the 75th minute Lazio finally broke the deadlock. Norwegian midfielder Per Bredesen reached the by-line and tried a shot which Umberto Boniardi cleared but the ball then hit John Hansen lurking nearby and ended up in the back of the net. A stroke lucky but 1-0 and well deserved.

In the last fifteen minutes the game changed as Catania were forced to attack.

They forced Zibetti into a couple of saves on shots by Klein. The game was more open now and both sides attacked. In the 85th minute Karl Hansen restored to his forward role had a powerful shot go wide.

It was too little too late for Catania as Lazio clinched a vital win. Final score: Lazio 1 Catania 0.

A legitimate victory for the Biancocelesti who had dominated for the first 75 minutes and should have been further in front.

Catania were punished for their negative attitude. When they finally decided to play they had a few chances but had left it too late.

A word on the referee, comical. Apart from the potential penalties for Lazio he also took away at least a couple of corners from the Biancocelesti and on one of them the crowd simply burst out laughing such was the absurdity of the decision.

Lazio were now joint 10th, on 24 points with Napoli and Triestina (who had a game in hand). The Biancocelesti had a reassuring seven-point cushion on the relegation zone.

Catania were joint 14th, on 21 points with Genoa. The Rossoazzurri still had a four-point advantage on the drop zone.

Who played for Lazio

Zibetti, Antonazzi, Sentimenti V, Sassi II, Giovannini, Bergamo, Bredesen, Löfgren, Vivolo, J.Hansen, Burini