Eagles feast on Mullets

Dag Jenkins
Dec 5, 2022
3 min read

Season 1971-72

Game 11, Serie B

Sunday, December 5, 1971

Stadio Comunale, Livorno

Livorno Lazio 0-1

A goal by Massa is sufficient to get the better of sterile Livorno

Source Carlo Emiliano Buffarini archive on Lazio Wiki

Lazio had a patchy start to the league season but were still up among the frontrunners for the promotion places. They had won 5, drawn 2 and lost 3, so had 12 points and were 5th. Giorgio Chinaglia had already scored 9 goals. Just a week before however Lazio had lost 1-0 away at Reggiana.

So far Livorno had won 1, drawn 6 and lost 3. The Amaranto were struggling in 16th position on 8 points with Foggia.

Lazio were considered favourites today but came from an away defeat and were without "Long John" Chinaglia while Livorno were unbeaten at home (without even conceding a single goal) and had already held promotion favourites Ternana to a goalless draw.

The match

A sunny day but with a light northerly wind in the seaport town of Livorno. There were about 15,000 spectators in the ground, which is located near the sea, many had come up from Rome only three hours away by car or train.

The hosts had to do without defender Pietro Maggini while Lazio were missing their star forward Giorgio Chinaglia, who was suspended after being sent off in the previous game, plus defender Luigi Polentes.

The first half was played almost exclusively in midfield with neither team managing to create much. The only chance fell to Lazio defender Mario Facco but his header was wide.

An extremely blocked game unsurprisingly reached halftime goalless.

In the second half Lazio played with an increased sense of urgency. The Biancocelesti upped the tempo and gradually took control of the game.

The Romans went in front in the 58th minute. On a whipping corner by Guiliano Fortunato, diminutive Giuseppe Massa anticipated Guido Onor and hit a powerful header past former Lazio keeper Roberto Gori, 0-1.

Livorno who in their previous five home games had not had the experience of giving away a goal, suffered from the set back. In the 63rd minute they tried changing something by bringing on forward Angelo Raffaeli for midfielder Lorenzo Righi.

Lazio could have doubled their lead several times. In the 64th minute Massa hit the post from a Facco cross and some minutes later a good team move put Carlo Facchin in a perfect position to score but he was too altruistic and tried to pass to a teammate and the chance was lost.

It was only in the last fifteen minutes or so that the Triglie (Mullets) attacked with a certain continuity. The Amaranto however confirmed why they had the lowest scoring rate in the league and only created one real chance. In the 80th minute Marco Achilli found himself in front of goal about seven metres out but he sliced the ball and the opportunity was wasted.

Lazio's defence, led by a superb Pino Wilson, then kept off any potential further threats and the Biancocelesti clinched a precious away win. Livorno 0 Lazio 1.

An intelligent win by Lazio. The Eagles had played it safe in the first half, struck early in the second and then controlled Livorno's reaction without excessive worries. If anything, Lazio could have closed the game earlier.

The table now read; Ternana 16, Reggiana 15, Lazio, Catania, Palermo and Taranto 14. Lazio were in the heart of the promotion race.

Livorno were still 16th but now solitary as Foggia had won. The Livornesi however still had the same two-point cushion on relegation (Arezzo, Modena and Genoa had all lost too).

Who played for Livorno

Gori, Baiardo, Onor, Vaiani, Bruschini, Calvani, Righi (63' Raffaeli), De Cecco, Blasig, Zani, Achilli

Substitutes: Zani

Manager: Balleri

Who played for Lazio

Bandoni, Facco, Legnaro, Wilson, Papadopulo, Martini, Massa, Fortunato, Abbondanza, Moschino, Facchin