Lazio win but lose Piola

Dag Jenkins
Apr 27, 2024
4 min read

Season 1940-41

Game 29, Serie A

Sunday, April 27, 1941

Stadio PNF, Rome

Lazio - Fiorentina 4-1

Important win but other results are not positive and Lazio lose Piola for decisive last game

So far in Serie A Lazio had played 23 games and were 15th on 24 points. The Biancocelesti had won 6 (including the second derby 2-0), drawn 12 (including Juventus 2-2 at home on debut and first derby 1-1) and lost 10 (including the most recent away to Milan, Fiorentina 1-2 away). There were two relegation slots and Lazio were in one of them but luckily only one point from safety (Novara on 25, then Genoa, Venezia, Torino and Livorno on 26).

Fiorentina were joint 3rd, with Juventus on 32 points. La Viola had won 13 (Juventus 3-2 away and Lazio 2-1 at home and most recently Bologna 3-0 at home), drawn 6 and lost 9.

A difficult game for Lazio today but the Biancocelesti desperately needed the two points.

The match

A sunny but very windy day saw just under 15,000 spectators at the P.N.F stadium.

Lazio were missing forward Otello Zironi.

Fiorentina were without defender Carlo Piccardi, midfielder Armando Frigo both suspended plus forwards Giuseppe Baldini and Dante Di Benedetto.

In the first half it was Lazio who played with the strong wind behind them and immediately took advantage. In the 7th minute Italo Romagnoli cleared and the ball flew forward reaching Silvio Piola, the striker touched it to Luigi Vettraino who teed up Salvador Gualtieri racing in on the right and he drilled a low, unstoppable shot past Luigi Griffanti, 1-0.

Fiorentina were passive and Lazio continued to attack for the whole half. The Biancocelesti had at least a dozen goal scoring chances. Griffanti made six excellent saves, one in particular on a Silvestro Pisa freekick, Piola hit a crossbar and another five dangerous attempts went just wide, at least one by Vettraino easier to score than miss.

The second goal finally came just before half time. In the 46th minute Piola hit a long ball to Gualtieri who raced towards goal while the keeper did the same towards the ball hoping to get their first, he failed and the Biancoceleste slotted it into the right corner, 2-0.

Lazio were well on top but they could have had at least a four or five goal margin.

In the second half the Gigliati had the wind in their favour and looked more eager. In the 52nd minute they halved the deficit. Romeo Menti hit a great freekick which flew in mid-height to Uber Gradella's right, 2-1. Game on?

Lazio soon dampened the visitors' hopes by scoring only two minutes later. In the 54th minute Giuseppe Baldo took a freekick which was headed on by Enrique Flamini and bicycle kicked by Piola into the net, 3-1.

There was little or no reaction by La Viola and in the 72nd minute Piola got his double. Gualtieri pumped a long pass forward to Piola who, despite being closely marked, drilled a low precise shot on the far post, 4-1.

The striker from Vercelli then unfortunately suffered a bad injury. In the 80th minute, following a challenge with Giuseppe Bigogno the defender fell heavily on him and he fractured his collarbone and was forced off.

Luckily for Lazio the contest was over but there was still time for tempers to flare in the 87th minute as Romano Penzo and Luciano Ramella got involved in a scuffle after a rough tackle by the midfielder. Both players got their marching orders.

Final score: Lazio 4 Fiorentina 1. A crucial victory for Lazio, helped by a non-existent Fiorentina and superb performances by their forwards Piola and Gualtieri, the Biancocelesti had hopefully taken a decisive step towards survival. The negative fact was that they would have to play the last game without Piola who would need about 40 days to get over his injury.

Unfortunately the other results had not really gone Lazio's way. Novara had beaten Atalanta 5-1 at home, Torino had won 2-0 away at Inter, Livorno and Genoa had demolished Bari and Roma both 6-1 at home…, the only team who had drawn were Venezia 1-1 away in Naples. The table now read: Bari 17, Lazio 26 (-4 gd), Novara 27 (-4), Venezia 27 (-8), Triestina 28 (+4) Genoa 28 (+2) Torino 28 (+1), Livorno 28 (-8) Roma 28 (+2) and Napoli 28 (-11), all for two slots. At the moment Lazio would still be down.

So it was all down to the last game. The fixtures were: Champions Bologna vs Lazio, Venezia vs Novara, Torino vs Livorno, Milan vs Genoa and Roma vs Triestina. Lazio had the same goal difference as Novara and better than Venezia so if one of the two won the direct clash and Lazio got a point the Biancocelesti would be safe.

It was therefore touch and go. Lazio had to hope Bologna had been celebrating their league title with rivers of Lambrusco and that the other result went their way.

Fiorentina were now 4th, on 32 points with Juventus and overtaken by Milan who had defeated the Bianconeri 2-1 away.

Who played for Lazio

Gradella, Romagnoli II, Monza II, Fazio, Ramella, Baldo, Gualtieri, Pisa I, Piola, Flamini, Vettraino