A derby win is a derby win

Dag Jenkins
Jun 28, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Nov 6

Season 1943-44

Friendly

Saturday, May 27, 1944

Stadio PNF, Rome

Lazio-Roma 3-2

It was only a friendly but still satisfying for Lazio after an entertaining game

Today’s game was a friendly, if you can ever use such a term for a Lazio vs Roma clash. It was a public holiday in Rome as it was "San Pietro e Paolo" the Patron Saints of the capital city.

The match

It was a nice, sunny day and a big crowd turned up for this Thursday derby on a public holiday. The ticket money was to be mainly donated to the families of the Ardeatine Fosse victims (335 in response to the Partisan attack in Via Rasella which had killed 33 German soldiers).

Both sides fielded their best possible XI's and the game was spectacular.

The match was balanced from the start. Lazio attacked more in the early stages but Roma responded and forced Amedeo Rega into a couple of difficult saves. The liveliest players were Michele Andreolo for Lazio and Enzo Cozzolini for Roma.

The Giallorossi took the lead in the 35th minute. It was scored by full-back Sergio Andreoli who blasted an unstoppable freekick past Rega. Lazio 0 Roma 1.

Lazio only took five minutes to equalise. In the 40th minute Guido Manfré floated in a freekick from about fifty metres out but the keeper, probably disturbed by the sun in his eyes, let it go over him and into the back of the net. Lazio 1 Roma 1 at half time.

In the second half Roma exchanged Nicola Fusco and Enrico Schiavetti's positions and went back in front almost immediately. In the 46th minute the referee awarded them what the newspapers of the time described as a generous penalty and Amedeo Amedei slotted it in. Lazio 1 Roma 2.

Roma insisted and in the 48th minute hit a post with Fusco.

Lazio then stirred and pushed Roma back. Their efforts were rewarded in the 60th minute when Armando Longhi beat the offside (although there were doubts) and equalised. Lazio 2 Roma 2.

In the 67th minute Longhi was again clear on goal but stopped maybe feeling guilty for the previous possible offside.

Roma were not satisfied with the draw and pushed forward. Rega made some excellent saves, in particular in the 72nd minute when Cozzolini set up Amedei who hit the post and on the rebound Naim Krieziu looked sure to score but was denied by a brilliant stop by the keeper.

Roma attacked but Lazio then stole it on the break. In the 88th minute Giuseppe Mancini raced off on the counter attack and squared to Henglebert Koenig who beat Ippolito Ippoliti for Lazio's winner. Final score Lazio 3 Roma 2.

A very entertaining game to take people's minds off the war if only for an afternoon. Lazio had been more clinical in attack while Roma had also played well and were unlucky to lose. A draw would have been a fairer result but it was Lazio who celebrated with their fans (the crowd was of course still all mixed in those days).

Who played for Lazio

Rega, Valenti, Ferrarese, Gualtieri, Andreolo, Manfré, Mancini, Longhi, Lombardini, Manola, Koenig