Both luck and lights out

Dag Jenkins

Sep 7, 2023

3 min read

Season 1969-70

Game 3, Group Stage, Coppa Italia

Sunday, September 7, 1969

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Roma 0-1 (0-2)

Lazio play well but lose as game is cut short due to floodlight failure

Lazio's Coppa Italia had started on August 31 with a 0-1 defeat at Perugia. The Biancocelesti then drew 0-0 at Ternana. The table read; Roma 3, Perugia 3, Ternana 2, Lazio 1. With only one team going through, Lazio were mathematically out.

Serie A would start in a week's time with a home game against Torino.

In Coppa Italia so far the Giallorossi had drawn 0-0 at Ternana and beaten Perugia 2-1 at home.

Their league season would start on September 14 away at Bari.

Lazio were already eliminated but a Roman derby is always a big game and they could still have the satisfaction of knocking out their rivals too.

The match

A hot evening brought a capacity 80,000 crowd for this cup derby.

Lazio were without midfielder Nello Governato and striker Giorgio Chinaglia while defender Pino Wilson was on the bench.

Roma were missing forward Renato Cappellini.

Lazio started on the attack and in the 5th minute a Mario Facco header went just wide. A minute later Alberto Ginulfi had to dive low to stop a Juan Carlos Morrone free kick. In the 10th minute Ferruccio Mazzola pulled a shot wide from a good position.

In the 13th minute Roma had their first shot with a Fabio Enzo free kick just over the bar.

In the 19th minute Ginulfi punched away a Facco effort.

Like most derbies the game was rough with several fouls by both sides.

In the 25th minute came a controversial episode. A Giuliano Fortunato goal was disallowed for a very dubious offside call. Lorenzo was furious and got himself sent off.

In the 35th minute Roma scored. After a quick counter attack a Fabio Capello shot was not held onto by Rosario Di Vincenzo and Joaquín Peirò was ready for the tap-in, 0-1.

The first half ended with Roma in front but Lazio had played better.

The second half started with Lazio on the front foot again. In the 58th minute the Biancocelesti had a huge chance to equalise. Francesco Cappelli fouled Gian Piero Ghio in the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Rino Marchesi stepped up but Ginulfi went the right way and parried behind for a corner.

Lazio continued to play well and hit two crossbars while Roma hit a post on the break.

In the last fifteen minutes the floodlights started coming and going until in the 87th minute darkness definitely fell on the Olimpico. With no signs of the electricity coming back to life the referee was forced to whistle for full-time. Final score Lazio 0 Roma 1.

An unlucky derby for Lazio. Several saves by Ginulfi, a missed penalty, a controversially disallowed goal, two crossbars and then the early end to the game.

A decent performance however which gave optimism for the upcoming Serie A campaign, especially with the additions of Wilson and Chinaglia to the team.

Roma qualified for the next round as Perugia and Ternana had drawn.

Who played for Lazio

Di Vincenzo, Papadopulo, Facco, Cucchi, Soldo, Marchesi, Massa, Mazzola II, Ghio, Morrone, Fortunato