Lazio crush la Viola
The Romans outplay the Florentines and cruise to easy victory
Also on this day: March 17, 2004: Lazio Juventus 2-0 Coppa Italia Final First Leg. Despite a missed penalty by Cesar, two goals by Stefano Fiore put Lazio in a good position in double legged cup final. Player of the day: Stefano Fiore
The season so far
The previous season had not been great. Under Austrian coach, Franz Sedlacek, the Biancocelesti had finished 10th in the National A group (A and B- top 4 from each played final group). Technically they would have been relegated but were kept up as the league was to be expanded.
This season Sedlacek had started the season but was replaced by Fernando Saraceni after the fourth match. Then after the fourteenth game Augusto Rangone came in. So, it was the Piedmontese who sat on the bench today.
Lazio had bought some decent players in the summer. Among them were midfielders Leopoldo Caimmi (Livorno), Marino Furlani (Pro Gorizia), Silvio Griggio (Vicenza), Francesco Rier (Modena) and Aldo Spivach (Udinese).
The main player leaving was striker Dante Filippi (Pontedera - after 65 goals for Lazio).
So far Lazio had won 6 (including Fiorentina 4-0), drawn 2 and lost 11. A week earlier they had lost 1-3 away at Pro Vercelli. They needed points today to qualify for the next season's first ever single national league (top 8 from each of the two groups).
Fiorentina had finished joint 2nd in the First Division D (2nd tier) group the previous year under the Hungarian manager Karoly Csapkay. They then went to a playoff against Ternana for promotion to the National Division, they drew 3-3 in Florence and won 1-0 in Terni and were promoted.
This year the manager was still Csapkay along with fellow countryman Gyula Feldmann. The main new players were defenders Giovanni Borgato (Venezia), Carlo Giacomelli (Pistoiese), midfielder Athos Bertacchini (SPAL), forwards Pilade Lucchetti (Triestina) and Angelo Pilate (Bologna). Leaving were defender Enrico Calzolari (retiring), midfielders Primo Bay (Novara), Dario Pratoverde (Italia Nuova Rivarolo) plus forwards Mario Scazzola (Portuale Livorno) and Luigi Miconi (Venezia).
So far, the Florentines were struggling. They had only won 2, drawn 2 and lost 15 (including Juventus 0-11 and Genoa 0-7). A week earlier however they had drawn 1-1 at home to Napoli.
Lazio were strong favourites today against a team who had already conceded 69 goals in 19 matches.
The match: Sunday, March 17, 1929, Campo Rondinella, Rome
There was no match really. Fiorentina surprisingly went in front after ten minutes with Mario Meucci but once Lazio had equalised, only thirty seconds later with Francesco Rier, the game became a monologue by the Biancocelesti.
Lazio dominated above all in midfield with Marino Furlani, Walter Marcacci and Rier particularly active.
The second goal came in the 25th minute and was scored by striker Aldo Spivach.
Lazio continued to attack but despite their clear superiority they only led 2-1 at halftime.
The second half followed the same script. Lazio completely in control and the Viola very rarely threatening, except due to a couple of unorthodox excursions off his line by Ezio Sclavi.
More goals predictably came. In the 60th minute Spivach got his brace, then Gino Lamon scored in the 75th and in the 89th Spivach got his hat-trick, his 9th goal of the season.
A routine and easy win for Lazio who were never pushed by the Florentines. There was too much difference in quality between the two sides for there to be any real contest.
Two more points for Lazio’s quest to finish in the top eight and qualify for the following year's first ever single Serie A league. The Gigliati looked every bit like Serie B material.
Who played for Lazio
Sclavi, Saraceni II, Bottacini, Marcacci, Furlani, Caimmi, Molinis, Rier, Spivach, Lamon, Griggio
Manager: Rangone
Who played for Fiorentina
Sernagiotto, Borgato, Siniscalchi, Staccione, Longoni, Salvatorini, Pariati, Nichele, Meucci, Tommasi, Pilati
Manager: Csapkay/Feldmann
Referee: Pezzato
Goals: 10' Meucci, 11' Rier, 25' Spivach, 60' Spivach, 75' Lamon, 89' Spivach
What happened next
In the next three games Lazio lost two and Rangone was replaced by Hungarian Ferenc Molnár. In the following 5 games, Lazio won 4 and lost 1 and then managed to beat Juventus 1-0 away. A week later on June 16, Lazio drew 0-0 at home against Napoli. This meant they both finished on the same points in joint 8th place. They therefore had to go to a playoff match to decide who would take the last slot from group B in the following year's new single Serie A format.
The match was played on June 23, in a neutral venue, San Siro, Milan. The game finished 2-2 after extra-time (Lazio went up with Spivach and then equalised in the 80th minute with Cevenini V). They would have to play again as this was before penalty shoot outs. Then the FIGC (Italian Football Federation) decided to enlarge the format and let them both into the new tournament and so that was it, no need for another match. Top scorer was Aldo Spivach with 13 goals.
Lazio would play in the first ever single national Serie A tournament in 1929-30.
Fiorentina finished 16th, bottom of the table and relegated. They managed 3 more wins but lost the other 7. They ended up conceding 96 goals (in 30 matches). Top scorer was Meucci with 8 goals.
Lazio 1928-29
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
National Division | 30 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 47 |
Serie A Qualification play off | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 |
Total | 31 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 49 |
Top five appearances
Players | Total | National Division | Serie A Qualification Play off |
Bottacini | 30 | 29 | 1 |
Spivach | 30 | 29 | 1 |
Sclavi | 29 | 28 | 1 |
Caimmi | 28 | 27 | 1 |
Furlani | 28 | 27 | 1 |
Top five goalscorers
Players | Total | National Division | Serie A Qualification Play off |
Spivach | 13 | 12 | 1 |
Lamon I | 9 | 9 | - |
Griggio | 7 | 7 | - |
Cevenini V | 7 | 6 | 1 |
Furlani | 4 | 4 | - |
Let's talk about Francesco Rier
Francesco Rier also known as Franco was born in Rovereto (Trento), on December 2, 1908.
He started playing football with his local club Rovereto and then in 1927 joined Modena in the Divisione Nazionale (top flight). The manager was Giuseppe Forlivesi for the first three games and then Hungarian József Ging. The Canaries finished 5th in the B group. Rier played 19 league games with 6 goals.
In 1928 he joined Lazio. The Biancocelesti got through four different managers; Franz Sedlacek (1-3), Fernando Saraceni (4-14), Augusto Ragone (15-23) and finally Ferenc Molnár (24-34). The Eagles finished joint 8th with Napoli and went to a playoff to decide the last team to be admitted to the new 16-team Serie A (top 8 from each group). The match was drawn but then the Federation decided to extend the new format to 18 teams so both qualified. Rier played 13 league games with 2 goals (Venezia, Fiorentina) plus the playoff. There were no derbies as recently formed Roma were in the other group.
In 1929-30 therefore Lazio took part in the first single Serie A tournament. The manager was Molnár, then Pietro Piselli briefly and then Molnár again. Lazio finished 15th and Rier played 16 games with 6 goals (Bologna, Cremonese x3, Brescia, Modena).
In 1930 he moved back up north and joined Juventus for a season. The manager was Carlo Carcano and the Bianconeri won their third league title. Rier played 28 league games and scored 2 goals (Livorno, Modena).
In 1931 he went abroad and played for Servette in Switzerland for a year. In 1932 he moved to France and played for Nice for two seasons, the Red and Black Eagles finished 7th and 13th (relegated).
In 1934 Rier returned to Italy and joined Brescia in Serie A. The manager was Hungarian György Hlavay and the "Leonessa" finished 10th. Rier played 27 league games and scored 7 goals (the winner against Lazio…, Inter, Livorno x2, winner at San Siro against Milan, Torino x2).
In 1935-36 he stayed at Brescia but they were relegated under Umberto Calligaris. Rier played 20 league games with 2 goals (Milan, Alessandria).
In 1936 he moved to Sicily and joined Palermo in Serie B. He stayed three seasons. The Rosaneri (although the regime forced them to play in the red and yellow colours of Sicily) finished 7th three years in a row. His managers were Károly Csapkay the first year, Árpád Hajós in the second and Armand Halmos and then Ermenegildo Negri (breaking the Magyar rule) in the third. Rier played 56 league games with 8 goals (Venezia, Pro Vercelli, Novara, Pisa x2, Fanfulla, Salernitana x2).
He then spent one last season at Rovereto in the Prima Divisione Tridentina (4th tier). The Zebrette won their league but had to give up on promotion due to lack of funds.
At 31 he retired.
Rier was a midfielder. He started as a more attacking midfielder but from Juventus on then became more of a half-back. He won a Scudetto with the Bianconeri and played a total of 123 league games in Serie A (or top flight) with 25 goals, for Modena, Lazio, Juventus and Brescia.
At Lazio he played in the first ever single Serie A league and played a total of 29 league games with 8 goals.
Francesco Rier died in Rovereto on May 5, 1991.
Lazio career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | National Division |
1928-29 | 13 (2) | - | 13 (2) |
1929-30 | 16 (6) | 16 (6) | - |
Total | 29 (8) | 16 (6) | 13 (2) |
Sources