Lazio clinch necessary point

Dag Jenkins

Sep 9, 2022

3 min read

Season 1979-80

Game 4, Group Stage, Coppa Italia

Sunday, September 9, 1979

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Udinese 0-0

The Biancocelesti do not shine but progress to quarterfinals

In the Coppa Italia Lazio had already played three games and things had gone well. The Biancocelesti had beaten Matera 5-0 at home, Brescia 2-0 and Pistoiese 2-1 away.

The table read Lazio 6 (3 games +8 goal difference), Udinese 6 (3 +5 gd), Pistoiese 2 (3 games), Brescia 1 (3 games), Matera 1 (4 games).

Lazio needed a point against Udinese to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Serie A would start on September 16 with an away trip to Avellino.

Udinese had won the Serie B Championship the previous season under former Lazio player, Massimo Giacomini (1963-64). It was the Bianconeri's second consecutive promotion.

This year was the Friulani's first season in Serie A since 1960-61. This season the manager was Corrado Orrico, as Giacomini had joined Milan.

So far in Coppa Italia, like Lazio, the Zebrette had won three out of three; Pistoiese 2-0 at home, Matera 2-0 away and Brescia 1-0 at home.

Their Serie A debut would be against Fiorentina away.

A final day decider in the cup today. Lazio had the advantage of having two results out of three to qualify.

The match

A crowd of just over 35,000 turned up for this decisive cup game.

Lazio had no real absences.

Udinese were without midfielder Livio Pin and forwards Francesco Canella and Claudio Vagheggi.

After a fifteen minute feel-out period the first chance fell to Udinese. In the 16th minute a Luigi Delneri free kick forced Massimo Cacciatori to produce a spectacular dive to keep the ball out.

Lazio responded with a dangerous free kick of their own but this time it was Ernesto Galli who did well to deny Bruno Giordano. Udinese controlled without any problems and occasionally threatened on the break.

The game went into an uneventful period. Lazio attacked confusedly and sometimes Giordano and Vincenzo D'Amico exaggerated in individual moves. The Bianconeri however gave the impression to be better organised while Lazio tended to improvise more. Half time 0-0.

There were no changes during the interval.

Lazio seemed slightly more determined. In the 48th minute Maurizio Montesi crossed but Nando Viola, instead of volleying first time, controlled the ball, lost time and then hit a weak shot straight at Galli.

Lazio attacked but were still slow and predictable. In the 62nd minute Giordano floated in a free kick and Pino Wilson headed just over the bar.

Udinese were fluid in their build up play on the counter attack but were rarely dangerous. In the 69th minute Carlo Osti got a shot following a Ciro Bilardi corner but Cacciatori was well positioned and blocked.

In the 70th minute Galli saved on a Giordano header.

In the 72nd minute came the first substitution as Claudio Bencina replaced Bilardi.

Four minutes later Bob Lovati decided to take off Vincenzo Zucchini and put on more creative midfielder Antonio Labonia.

In the last fifteen minutes Lazio were finally more dangerous. In the 78th minute Galli saved on Giordano, in the 80th on Renzo Garlaschelli, in the 85th on Filippo Citterio and in the 87th on a near own goal by Bencina from a D'Amico corner.

Lazio had one last big opportunity in the last minute. Mauro Tassotti pushed down the right, squared to Montesi who set up Giordano but Galli showed excellent reflexes on the Roman striker's shot. Final score Lazio 0 Udinese 0.

Lazio got the point they needed to qualify for the quarter finals. Lazio were dull and monotonous for long periods and only stirred and accelerated in the last part of the game. The objective however had been reached, the quarterfinals in November and January.

Udinese had looked slick and organised but lacked weight up front. They should possibly have risked more and been more ambitious to hope to win the group.

Now it was time for Serie A.

Who played for Lazio

Cacciatori, Tassotti, Citterio, Wilson, Manfredonia, Zucchini (76' Labonia), Garlaschelli, Montesi, Giordano, Viola, D'Amico