Difficult draw

Simon Basten
Apr 26, 2024
2 min read

Season 1980-81

Game 31, Serie B

Sunday, April 26, 1981

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Genoa 2-2

Greco scored a brace to allow Lazio to maintain third place

After 15 games Lazio were top of the table with a one-point lead over Milan and four over third place (the first three were promoted). A long way to go yet but there was optimism. The Biancocelesti had won 7 and drawn 8 and had not lost yet.

Then came Lazio vs Milan, first game of 1981. The Rossoneri easily won 2-0. The shock probably instilled a doubt in the player’s mind and the Biancocelesti started to lose ground. A couple of weeks prior to this game the Biancocelesti had lost away to Bari and Cesena had joined them in second place and then were solitarily behind Milan after beating the Apulians with Lazio drawing at Lecce. Genoa, today's opponents, were just one point behind.

The match

After five minutes Lazio appealed for a possible penalty for a foul in the box on Giuseppe Greco but the referee was not impressed. Fifteen minutes later the Biancocelesti scored. Free kick from just outside the penalty area towards the right, Fernando Viola passed to Mauro Manzoni who left it for Greco. Big whack and it was 1-0 for Lazio.

The home team had another penalty claim for an obvious handball by Claudio Testoni but again Paolo Bergamo signalled to play on. Massive chance for Genoa in the 34th minute when Claudio Sala dribbled past a few players and attempted a shot which Dario Marigo managed to save only for the ball to fall on the feet of Enrico Todesco. It was a simple tap in but the former Lazio player sent it over the crossbar. Three minutes before half time the Genoese equalised. Giuseppe Corti beat Marigo from outside the box with a powerful strike.

The Rossoblu manager Gigi Simoni took off Tedesco in the 60th minute and in came Francesco Boito. The visitors attack acquired that necessary speed so far missing in their attacks and four minutes later went ahead. Corti found Roberto Russo in the box and the centre forward made no mistake.

Lazio put their foot on the accelerator and managed to equalise. Filippo Citterio from the left crossed low into the box, the defence cleared but the ball reached Stefano Chiodi. He tried a shot which in the end was a perfect pass for Greco who did not miss the open goal chance.

Greco almost got the Biancocelesti a win when on a free kick in the 85th minute but his shot hit the woodwork.

Nothing changed in the table as Lazio were still third with the single point advantage over the Genoese, but Cesena were now two points away.

Who played for Lazio

Marigo, Pighin, Citterio, Perrone, Pochesci, Simoni (34' Ghedin), Garlaschelli, Manzoni, Chiodi, Viola, Greco