Piola defused

Simon Basten
May 14, 2024
2 min read

Season 1932-33

Game 28, Serie A

Sunday, May 14, 1933

Stadio PNF, Rome

Lazio Pro Vercelli 2-1

Lazio’s defence cancels Piola as they beat Pro Vercelli thanks to Pastore and Guarisi

At the end of the first half of the season Lazio were 12th. They had beaten Ambrosiana Inter away and had won the derby. They were currently 10th.

The match

Lazio began at full speed and Francesco Gabriotti immediately shaved the crossbar with a shot. In the 3rd minute they scored. Free kick taken by Joao Fantoni I and Gabriotti, ball to Octavio Fantoni II, quick pass to Piero Pastore and it was 1-0 for the Biancocelesti.

Lazio did not stop here and Natale Balossino was forced to a difficult save anticipating Enzio Enrique Serafini. His teammate Mario Zanello in the 12th minute almost caused one of the most classic of own goals but the Piedmontese keeper managed to avoid the “brutta figura”.

The Biancocelesti, despite dominating play slowed down a little bit but this did not make much difference to Pro Vercelli. Their star player, Silvio Piola, was always surrounded by defenders and could hardly move. But he still managed to make his presence known to Ezio Sclavi. In the 34th minute the legendary keeper was forced to save a shot from Piola and a minute later he was again called to action after an Enrico Cerutti-Piola one-two.

In the 50th minute Mario Ardissone was forced to leave the field due to injury and six minutes later Anfilogino Guarisi made it 2-0 following a masterful play by the entire squad.

It seemed all down hill for the Biancocelesti especially since Pro Vercelli had been practically null up to then, but in the 62nd minute the visitors reduced the deficit. Piola, moved to playmaker after Ardissone’s forfeit, passed to Cerutti who saw Luigi Bajardi in an excellent position. Ball to him, quick shot, nothing Sclavi could do.

Pro Vercelli put pressure on the Lazio defence but did not really create anything dangerous. The Biancocelesti could have scored their third with Guarisi in the 75th minute and Pastore in the 82nd on the counter attack, but the Vercelli keeper made two excellent saves.

Good win for the Biancocelesti. Silvio Piola looked to be a very interesting player …