Platonic win for Lazio

Dag Jenkins
Sep 5, 2023
4 min read

Season 1976-77

Game 3, Coppa Italia Group 1

Sunday, September 5, 1976

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Novara 3-2

The Biancocelesti get first win of season but there is room for improvement

This was Lazio's third game in the Coppa Italia. They were in a group of five teams and had already lost to Atalanta 1-2 away and Milan 1-2 at home. The other teams were today's opposition Novara and Catania. Lazio's chances of qualifying were extremely slim.

Serie A would start on October 3 at home to Juventus.

Before today's games the table read: Milan 4, Catania 2, Atalanta 2, Lazio 0, Novara 0. Novara and Atalanta had a game in hand. Only one team would qualify for the next round.

The match

Not a big crowd at the Olimpico, about 10,000, a consequence of Lazio being practically already out and playing second tier opposition.

Lazio however fielded a strong side with only injured Luciano Re Cecconi missing.

Lazio attacked early on. In the 8th minute, after an Avelino Moriggi save, Renzo Garlaschelli was just off target on the rebound. In the 10th minute Bruno Giordano shot, Moriggi saved and Garlaschelli again on the rebound, this time with a header, hit the crossbar. More chances followed with Fernando Viola who twice went close and then a Giordano shot was just high.

The breakthrough came in the 17th minute. Vincenzo D'Amico was tripped up by Bernardino Fabbian and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. The Golden Boy from Latina took it himself and put Lazio in front, 1-0.

Lazio now had more space in midfield but it was the Azzurri who against the run of play had two chances to equalise. In the 25th minute Felice Pulici had to save a Sandro Salvioni effort with his feet. A couple of minutes later Eugenio Fumagalli had a shot but he pulled it wide.

Then it was all Lazio again. Moriggi saved on Giordano in the 29th minute and on Viola in the 32nd. In the 37th minute Lazio doubled their lead. Viola set up Roberto Badiani who entered the box and managed to beat the former Lazio keeper, 2-0.

The Novaresi did not give up however and Pulici had to make a double save on Galli in the 43rd minute. In the 44th minute the Gaudenziani too were awarded a penalty when Pietro Ghedin pulled down the active Galli. Sergio Vriz took it and scored, 2-1 at half time.

The visitors made two changes during the break: Salvatore Amato for Fumagalli surprisingly and Luigi Giannini for Vriz.

The Piedmontese were the first to threaten when in the 55th minute Ciccio Cordova prevented Roberto Bacchin from shooting from a favourable position, from a Giuseppe Giavardi cross.

Moriggi was busy again in the 57th minute on a Giordano strike after a good Cordova-D'Amico combination.

Three minutes later D'Amico abused of his talent when he tried one too many dribblings instead of setting up a better positioned Viola.

The visitors still believed and Salvioni shaved the post with a powerful long-range shot.

Lazio had several potential chances but messed up the final touches.

In the 65th minute Moriggi was brilliant again, this time on a Garlaschelli volley.

In the 72nd minute D'Amico volleyed over the bar from a Viola cross. Then Moriggi continued his excellent return to Rome as he superbly blocked a thundering Viola effort, a few minutes later he saved again on Viola but this time he was helped by a dose of luck, and soon after denied a Giordano attempt.

The Moriggi show ended in the 80th minute when he capitulated on a low Cordova shot, 3-1.

Moriggi was beaten for the third time but the Azzurri still the came back at Lazio. In the 83rd minute they were back in the game as Salvioni headed in unmarked from a Bacchin cross, 3-2.

Lazio managed to resist and clinch their first cup win of the season albeit pointless towards a qualification to the next round. Wins help you to win as they say but Lazio would have to improve when they played superior level teams.

Novara had battled hard and lost with dignity. Both teams were now officially out, time to concentrate on the upcoming leagues. The table read: Milan 5 (+3), Atalanta 3 (+1) Lazio 2 (-1), Catania 2 (-2), Novara 0 (-2). Milan and Atalanta had drawn 1-1 at the San Siro so could both still qualify.

At the end of the game Moriggi was given a plaque in memory of his Lazio days. He was certainly man of the match today.

Who played for Lazio

Pulici, Ammoniaci, Martini, Wilson, Ghedin, Cordova, Garlaschelli, Viola, Giordano, D'Amico, Badiani