Early and easy

Dag Jenkins
Nov 21, 2022
2 min read

Season 1971-72

Game 9, Serie B

Sunday, November 21, 1971

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Monza 2-0

Two goals within the first 15 minutes give Lazio routine win

Lazio had made a decent start to the season and were up among the frontrunners for the promotion places. They had won 4, drawn 2 (last two) and lost 2, so had 10 points. Lazio were currently 4th with five other teams. Ternana were top on 12 points followed by Palermo on 11 points.

So far, Monza had won 2, drawn 4 and lost 2. They were 10th on 7 points (with four other teams).

Lazio were favourites today but Monza came from two wins out of their last three games.

The match

An overcast day with fresh northerly winds brought just under 30,000 to the Olimpico.

Lazio were missing defender Luigi Polentes and midfielder Giambattista Moschino but had both Gigi Martini and Giuliano Fortunato back.

Monza were without forwards Angelo Quintavalle and Arturo Ballabio.

Lazio started with confidence and after two early Carlo Facchin chances took the lead. Alessandro Abbondanza crossed from the left and Mario Facco headed down to Giuseppe Massa who pelted a low shot just inside the post, 1-0.

Lazio insisted and five minutes later scored again. Gaetano Legnaro did well on the right and put in a good cross which Giorgio "Long John" Chinaglia headed past Romano Cazzaniga, 2-0.

A perfect start for Lazio who continued to push forward and had several more chances, the biggest with Chinaglia again but his powerful low shot was saved well by the Monza keeper.

Half time came with Lazio two-nil up and in no difficulty at all.

In the second half the visitors finally attacked more but without causing Lazio's defence any particular problems.

In the last fifteen minutes both sides made a change; for Lazio, Franco Nanni came on for Abbondanza while for the Brianzoli, defender Gian Filippo Reali replaced midfielder Fiorino Pepe.

Chinaglia could then have made it three but Cazzaniga pulled off two superb saves in quick succession.

Monza eventually had a goalscoring opportunity in the last minute but Luigi Sanseverino, in front of Claudio Bandoni, hesitated and lost the moment to at least pull a goal back. Final score Lazio 2 Monza 0.

An assured win by Lazio who had scored two early goals and never looked like relinquishing the lead. The team had looked balanced in all areas of the field and had a rampant Chinaglia up front.

Lazio were now top of the table on 12 points albeit with Palermo, Perugia, Taranto and Ternana (Ternana had lost 0-2 to Taranto and Palermo drawn 0-0 at Livorno).

Who played for Lazio

Bandoni, Facco, Legnaro, Wilson, Papadopulo, Martini, Massa, Fortunato, Chinaglia, Abbondanza (74' Nanni), Facchin