Piola punches Milano

Simon Basten
Feb 18, 2023
2 min read

Season 1939-40

Game 20, Serie A

Sunday, February 18, 1940

Stadio del PNF, Rome

Lazio Milano 2-2

Thanks to a goal scored with his fist, Piola gives Lazio a good draw

Lazio did pretty well in the first half of the season, beating Milan, Napoli and Juventus and drawing against the formidable Ambrosiana Inter. Always in the top places until the end of January, they fell back a bit in February. They were currently fourth.

The match

The strong wind certainly did not help the two teams who were forced to continually figure out how to weather the tramontana. Another important issue was the loss of Silvestro Pisa who broke his leg in the 24th minute after a clash with Giuseppe Antonini. Milano immediately took advantage and scored in the 31st minute with Umberto Menti who tried a shot which hit the crossbar, bounced down and then, helped by the wind, ended up in goal.

Lazio managed to equalise with Evaristo Barrera in the 43rd minute with a precise close range shot.

In the 51st minute another Barrera shot was saved by Luigi Diamante who however lost the ball to Luigi Vettraino for a simple tap in, but the Biancoceleste forward kicked it over the crossbar.

Milan took over the initiative and went ahead again in the 66th minute when Paolo Todeschini found Aldo Boffi who dribbled past Maximiliano Faotto and Alfredo Monza beating Giacomo Blason.

Lazio managed to equalise in the 81st minute when after a corner Silvio Piola tried a bicycle kick which beat Diamante. The ball probably hit his hand as he tried the acrobatic shot but the referee did not notice.

A good draw for Lazio despite the wind and the loss of a player.

Who played for Lazio

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