Madam gets historic drubbing

Dag Jenkins
Nov 19, 2022
3 min read

Season 1939-40

Game 9, Serie A

Sunday, November 19, 1939

Stadio P.N.F, Rome

Lazio Juventus 4-0

Lazio play excellent second half and blow away Juve with a win for the history books

Pisa, Baldo & Busani. Sources Lazio Wiki

Lazio had started the season reasonably well. After 8 matches the Biancocelesti were 3rd, on 10 points with Inter, Venezia and Genoa. Lazio had won 4 (Fiorentina 3-2 and Milano 2-0 away, Genova 1893 4-1 and Novara 1-0 at home), drawn 2 (Modena 1-1 away on debut and Torino 1-1 at home) and lost 2 (Bari 0-1 at home and most recently to leaders Bologna 1-3 away). In fact, until the Bologna defeat Lazio had been top.

Juventus were currently 8th, on 8 points with Bari and Novara. The Bianconeri had won 3 (including derby 2-1), drawn 2 (including recent 2-2 home draw with Milan) and lost 3 (including Inter 0-4 away on debut). After only one point in the first three games the "Old Lady" seemed to be improving.

The match

A wretched and rainy day meant there were only about 10,000 spectators present.

Silvio Piola was not at his best but was playing while Juventus were without defender Pietro Rava.

The first half was evenly balanced. Piola was clearly not fit but his mere presence was enough to keep his markers on their toes.

The difference was Lazio scored and Juventus did not. In the 21st minute the Biancocelesti had a corner which was headed by Piola towards goal where it was parried by Ugo Amoretti but ineffectively and straight to Silvestro Pisa who blasted it in on the volley, 1-0 at halftime.

The second half was a different story and Lazio dominated.

After a Luigi Vettraino disallowed goal for Lazio in the 48th minute the Biancocelesti took control of the game.

They doubled the score on the hour mark. In the 60th minute Umberto Busani finally beat Amoretti after a series of attempts had been blocked by defenders, 2-0.

By now Piola realising his lack of match fitness had moved to the wing but this opened up more spaces for Lazio's other forwards as several defenders still kept an eye on the much-respected striker.

Lazio had several more chances but finally put the game out of the "Old Lady's" reach in the 75th minute. Lazio were awarded a penalty for a foul by Corrado Casalini on Vettraino when the Roman-born forward had practically only the keeper to beat. Pisa put away the spot kick for his brace, 3-0.

Lazio's fourth came in the last minute when Giuseppe Baldo blasted in a freekick from about 25 metres , 4-0.

A fantastic win for Lazio who had annihilated the visitors in the second half. Despite Piola's precarious physical condition the Biancocelesti had played well in attack with standout performances by Pisa, Enrique Flamini and Vettraino while Baldo had excelled in midfield and Alfredo Monza in defence.

A bad day for Juventus for whom only midfielder Teobaldo Depetrini had held his own.

Lazio were now joint top on 12 points with Inter, Bologna and Genoa. Juventus were 11th on 8 points with Milan.

Who played for Lazio

Blason, Faotto, Monza II, Milano, Ramella, Baldo, Busani, Pisa I, Piola, Flamini, Vettraino