M&M push Lazio up table

Dag Jenkins
Feb 17, 2024
3 min read

Season 1962-63

Game 22, Serie B

Sunday, February 17, 1963

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Sambenedettese 2-0

Morrone and Maraschi give the Biancocelesti important win

This season the manager was originally Carlo Facchini but he was replaced after 4 games (4 draws). In came Juan Carlos Lorenzo who was officially technical director with Bob Lovati as head coach.

Since the change of Lazio had won 6, drawn 7 and lost 4 (including the most recent game 1-2 away at Monza). The Biancocelesti were currently 8th, on 23 points with Cosenza. The last promotion slot however was only three points away (Brescia, Foggia and Lecco on 26).

Sambenedettese were struggling in Serie B. They were currently 19th, on 14 points with Lucchese (one point from safety, Parma on 15). The Rossoblu had won 2, drawn 10 (including Lazio 0-0) and lost 9.

Lazio had to win today to join the promotion race.

The match

A sunny and mild day brought about 15,000 spectators to the Olimpico. This while many games all over Italy were called off due to bad weather conditions.

Lazio were without forward Angelo Longoni who had been punished with two weeks suspension for having criticised manager Juan Carlos Lorenzo during the week.

Sambenedettese were missing defenders Leopoldo Raimondi and Giancarlo Capucci plus forward Mario Sestili.

The first twenty minutes saw two penalty appeals, one per side. In the 5th minute Lazio's Mario Maraschi went down in the area and in the 20th Alberto Fontanesi was challenged by Graziano Landoni and fell. On both occasions however, the referee gestured to play on.

In the 21st minute Lazio scored. Juan Carlos Morrone unleashed a powerful long range shot which touched the post and went in, 1-0.

The visitors' reaction was lame and all they could muster was a Guido Macor effort which Idilio Cei saved comfortably. Lazio reached halftime leading by the solitary goal.

Early in the second half former Lazio keeper Giampiero Bandini kept the Rossoblu in the game with a superb save on an Orlando Rozzoni close range strike.

In the 60th minute Lazio were awarded a penalty. Another former Lazio player Alfredo Napoleoni fouled Rozzoni in the box and this time the man in black had no hesitation and pointed to the penalty spot. The visitors were not happy and Enrico Nicchi in particular exaggerated and was sent off. Rozzoni then stepped up and blasted the ball off target.

From the 70th minute onwards Lazio too practically played in ten men as Diego Zanetti limped around carrying a groin injury.

Lazio continued to attack and in the 76th minute closed the game. The assist man was Morrone who did well on the right before putting in an inviting cross for Maraschi who went for the header and missed but the ball then hit his shoulder and beat Bandini. A somewhat lucky goal but 2-0.

Sambenedettese were beaten although the last to give up was Macor who went close with a freekick but Cei saved. Final score: Lazio 2 Sambenedettese 0.

Lazio had not played particularly well but had done enough to get the better of a timid and toothless Sambenedettese.

Lazio were now joint 6th, on 25 points with Verona and Padova. The third promotion slot was shared by Bari, Foggia and Lecco, only one point above on 26. Lazio as hoped had joined the promotion race.

Sambenedettese were now joint bottom, with Como and Lucchese. More bad news came from the fact Parma had won so safety was now three points away.

Who played for Lazio

Cei, Zanetti, Garbuglia, Landoni, Pagni, Gasperi, Bizzarri, Governato, Rozzoni, Morrone, Maraschi