Lazio almost safe
- Dag Jenkins
- May 23, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: May 30
Game 32, Serie A
Sunday, May 23, 1965
Stadio Danilo Martelli, Mantua
Mantova- Lazio 1-3
A Renna penalty and D'Amato brace mean the Biancocelesti are extremely close to survival
This season so far Lazio had played 31 games, winning 7 (including Mantova 2-0) drawing 12 (including both derbies and Juventus away) and losing 12. The Biancocelesti were in joint 14th place with Sampdoria on 26 points, only one above the last relegation slot (Genoa on 25). Lazio however came from two consecutive wins (Foggia and Sampdoria both at home) so were on a high.
Things had gone badly in Serie A for Mantova who were already relegated. They were joint bottom with Foggia on 19 points. They had won 6 (including Juventus 1-0 at home), drawn 7 and lost 18.
A game today that Lazio had to win against a demoralised and already relegated side. If Lazio wanted to avoid accompanying the Biancorossi down they had to get a point, preferably two.
The match
A light mist surrounded the small Martelli ground which had about 5,000 spectators present. About 100 were Lazio fans who had come from Rome and Milan.
Lazio were without suspended defender Piero Dotti who was replaced by Giampiero Vitali and Vincenzo Gasperi played as sweeper while in midfield Alberto Mari was back.
Mantova were missing injured midfielder Sergio who was substituted by Beniamino Cancian. The Virgiliani had a few future Lazio connections on the field, a young keeper Dino Zoff (Lazio manager in the early 90's and president), Giulio Corsini (Lazio manager 1975-76 until Maestrelli returned) and forward Nicola Ciccolo (1965-66).
Lazio soon took the lead in Lombardy. In the 5th minute Can Bartu crossed and it was handballed by Cancian. The hosts protested but the referee had no doubts and Antonio Renna then sent Zoff the wrong way. Mantova 0 Lazio 1.
The Biancorossi reacted to the setback and started to attack. Idilio Cei just anticipated Beniamino Di Giacomo, then Vitali blocked Ciccolo at the last moment and a few minutes later Giorgio Bernardis had a goal disallowed for offside.
Lazio responded in the 29th minute when Bartu struck a good shot which shaved the post.
Towards the end of the half Mantova pushed forward again but Gasperi was excellent in preventing potential goal scoring attempts by Ugo Tomeazzi and Ciccolo. Half time Mantova 0 Lazio 1.
Lazio in front but it was far from straight forward.
In the second half however, Lazio doubled their lead almost immediately. Bartu took a freekick which was picked up by young Vito D'Amato who weaved past Luigi Bartolomei and Cancian and blasted a left foot into the back of the net for his first Serie A goal. Mantova 0 Lazio 2.
Mantova tried to get back into the game and had attempts with Ciccolo, Volpi and Tomeazzi but they did not worry Cei.
In the 69th minute it was Lazio who scored again and practically closed the contest. It was a brilliant goal too, D'Amato skipped past three defenders, Bartolomei, Cancian and Piero Scesa and put a superb shot over and past Zoff to make it 3-0 to the Biancocelesti.
Mantova managed to pull one back eight minutes later. The move started with a suspect handball by Bernardis but it was then finished off by Swedish midfielder Torbjörn Jonsson.
Lazio then controlled the game in the last ten minutes and succeeded in bringing home an important win. The Biancocelesti celebrated at the final whistle and even more so in the changing rooms as the two points were probably a decisive step towards survival.
With two games to go Lazio had a three-point cushion on the last relegation slot as Genoa had lost 1-2 in Cagliari. The table read Atalanta 28, Lazio 28, Vicenza 28, Sampdoria 27, Genoa 25, Messina 20, Mantova 19.
Next up were Lazio v Atalanta and Genoa v Milan. As things usually went, in both teams interest, the game in Rome would most likely be a draw while Genoa played the Rossoneri who were still challenging Inter for the Scudetto (Inter 51, Milan 50). It was not over but Lazio had reasons to celebrate today's win.
Who played for Mantova
Manager: Mari
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Mannocci
Referee: Righetti
Goals: 5' Renna (pen), 46' D'Amato, 69' D'Amato, 77' Jonsson
Sources
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