A deserved draw

Simon Basten
Jun 29, 2024
2 min read

Season 1965-66

Game 3, Small Club World Cup

Thursday, June 30, 1966

Estadio Olímpico de la Ciudad Universitaria, Caracas

Lazio Vitória Guimarães 1-1

Lazio get their first point in the Small Club World Cup

At the end of the season Lazio went on to play the Small Club World Cup, a tournament held in Venezuela between 1952 and 1975. Vitória Guimarães, Valencia and Lazio played in a double round-robin tournament. The Biancocelesti had lost their first two games.

The match

Despite the poor results so far in the tournament, Lazio were determined to win this game and started very well. The Biancocelesti team dominated the first half. In the 12th minute, Vito D'Amato, after a slalom, missed a one-on-one with the Portuguese goalkeeper. He then missed two very easy chances, first with a lopsided shot and then lacking precision, albeit just. Antonio Renna and Can Bartu also committed unforgivable errors in front of goal. The half ended goalless, despite total control of the game and a series of wasted chances.

In the second half, in accordance with the old saying that a team that misses goals then pays for it, Guimarães unexpectedly took the lead. Not even a minute of play had passed and Dyalma Freitas collected a cross and volleyed the ball into the net: a beautiful and unstoppable goal. Lazio were forced to chase after having fully deserved to be in the lead. On the wings of enthusiasm, Guimarães were spectacular for the next twenty minutes. Luckily Roberto Gori was not caught unawares and the onslaught passed without further damage. Lazio, at first cautiously and then with force, launched themselves forward. In the 67th minute Gianni Sassaroli, recovering a short rebound by Arnaldo, managed to equalise.

The match gradually then faded away without offering further excitement.

Who played for Lazio

Gori, Dotti, Vitali, Gasperi, Carosi, Galli, Renna, Bartu, D’Amato, Di Pucchio (Proietti Farinelli), Sassaroli