Out of Coppa Italia

Simon Basten
Sep 4, 2022
3 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Season 1983-84

Game Five, Coppa Italia Group 2

Sunday, September 4, 1983

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Juventus 1-1

By drawing with Juventus the Biancocelesti were out of the Coppa Italia, but they had done well and given it all, at least in this match.

Source Lazio Wiki (from Arcadio Spinozzi)

During the summer Giorgio Chinaglia, the 1974 Lazio scudetto hero, took over the club. Chinaglia had left the Biancocelesti to play for New York Cosmos in the mid-1970s and his return was all Biancocelesti fans' dream. Claiming to have large sums of money to invest, Long John was welcomed like a Messiah, the one who would take Lazio back to the highest levels.

The first official games were for the Coppa Italia. They were grouped with Perugia, Catanzaro, Taranto, Bari and Juventus. After drawing at Catanzaro and beating Perugia 2-0 (Vincenzo D’Amico and Enrico Vella), the Biancocelesti had surprisingly lost at Taranto 1-0 and were unable to go beyond a goalless draw at Bari. This meant that they now had to beat Juventus today to go through to the next round.

The match: Sunday, September 4, 1983, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio and Juventus shared the honours in a 1–1 draw before a lively crowd of 70,000. The match, rich in tempo and incident, offered supporters ninety minutes of thrills and tension befitting two sides determined to claim the upper hand.

Lazio began with verve and courage, immediately forcing the Bianconeri onto the defensive. After just two minutes, a free kick from Bruno Giordano announced the home side’s intent. In the 11th minute, the Lazio forward delivered a splendid cross to Angelo Cupini, whose first-time effort thundered against the crossbar. Vella seized the rebound, but his attempt was deflected behind for a corner. The Biancocelesti pressed again shortly after: another Giordano assist, Massimo Bonini’s short touch for Stefano Tacconi, and Cupini charging in, forced the Juventus keeper to concede another corner under heavy pressure.

It was not until the 17th minute that Juventus offered a reply of any substance. A quick one-two placed Zibi Boniek in an excellent shooting position, but Massimo Cacciatori, quick and safe parried with authority. Lazio, however, continued to seek the breakthrough before the interval, with Giordano attempting an acrobatic effort from a D’Amico pass, only for luck to desert him.

The second half opened in similar fashion, Juventus producing another rapid exchange of passes that freed Paolo Rossi for a strike, though he was hurried into it by two defenders. Ten minutes into the half came the explosion of joy for the Olimpico faithful: Giordano’s shot, perhaps deflected by Boniek, found its way past Tacconi for the 1–0. The stadium erupted; on the touchline, President Giorgio Chinaglia, in his dark jacket, celebrated warmly alongside manager Giancarlo Morrone.

Yet the euphoria was short-lived. Barely a minute later, Juventus struck back with precision and authority. Rossi delivered from the right, Antonio Cabrini rose imperiously, and his header left Cacciatori with no chance — 1–1, and all to play for.

In the closing stages, Juventus looked for the winner with energy. Boniek eluded Massimo Piscedda, only for Cacciatori to perform a miraculous intervention. Rossi, charging forward from deep, unleashed another effort, again thwarted by the Lazio keeper. Boniek, presented with one final opportunity, sent his shot wide.

When the referee brought proceedings to a close, both sides left the field to appreciative applause. Lazio owed the point much to the heroics of Cacciatori; for Juventus it was a reminder that even the finest attacking moves can flounder against a resolute defence. It was, in every respect, a contest worthy of the setting, and one to linger in the memory of those present.

The Biancocelesti were out of the Coppa Italia, but they had done well and given it all, at least in this match.

Who played for Lazio

Cacciatori, Spinozzi, Vinazzani, Manfredonia, Batista, Piscedda, D’Amico, Vella (85’ Chiarenza), Giordano, Laudrup, Cupini