Game 6, Coppa Italia Group Phase
Saturday July 12, 1958
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Roma 1-1
Lazio better in the first half, Roma in the second. The draw is consequential.
This was Lazio’s last game of the group and they had already secured first place by beating Palermo and Napoli twice and Roma in the first derby.
The game was important, despite being insignificant as far as the qualification to the next phase was concerned. However, the atmosphere surrounding it was tense. Lazio had sold their star player, Swede Arne Selmosson, to Roma. The club was in financial difficulty and decided to sell “Moon Beam” to the highest bidder. Unfortunately Roma beat all competition and Selmosson signed with the wrong side of the Tiber.
This was not going down well with the fans.
The match
Roma started the match well. In the 10th minute Bob Lovati anticipated a dangerous incursion from Giosuè Secchi. But Lazio came close with a Renzo Burini shot saved by Luciano Tessari onto the crossbar. The Roma goalkeeper was again the protagonist in the 19th minute, with the help of the post, denying Maurilio Prini and Egidio Fumagalli. In the 30th minute Claudio Bizzari disturbed Tessari as he was about to pass the ball, Stucchi kicked him inside the penalty box in retaliation. The referee was distracted, probably thinking about where to go on holiday.
Two minutes later the Biancocelesti scored. Long pass from Ugo Pozzan to Humberto Tozzi who on the counter attack beat the Roma goalkeeper and scored. Lazio 1 Roma 0.
The Biancocelesti almost made it two but Burini missed his chance from a favourable position in the 36th minute and Fumagalli shaved the post in the 38th.
In the beginning of the second half Roma equalised. Giacomo Del Gratta fumbled allowing Giuseppe Secchi to shoot. Lovati managed to parry but could do little on the Dino Da Costa tap in.
At this point Roma took over and Lovati was brilliant on various shots from Secchi and Da Costa. Lazio tried to ease the pressure with a Tozzi attempt but even Severino Lojodice had to congratulate Lovati when the Lazio goalkeeper saved his shot in the 69th minute. The Biancocelesti were tired but Roma were unable to take advantage. In the final minutes Secchi missed a golden opportunity and the game ended in a draw.
Who played for Lazio
Lovati, Di Veroli, Del Gratta, Carradori, Pinardi, Pozzan, Bizzarri, Burini, Tozzi, Fumagalli, Prini
Manager: Bernardini
Who played for Roma
Tessari, Griffith (46' Pontrelli), Losi, Pellegrini, Stucchi, Guarnacci, Orlando, Pestrin, Secchi, Da Costa, Lojodice
Manager: Nordahl
D.T.: Busini
Referee: Marchese
Goals: 32’ Tozzi, 48’ Da Costa
Sources
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