March 23, 1941: Torino-Lazio 1-1

Dag Jenkins
11 hours ago
7 min read

Lucky goal but deserved point

Lazio equalise with own goal but play well and almost win

The season so far

The previous season Lazio had finished a positive 4th, under Hungarian manager Géza Kertész. The highlights were wins against Juventus 4-0, Roma 1-0, at home and Fiorentina 3-2, Milan 2-0 and Bari 5-1 away. Top scorer was Silvio Piola with 10 goals (9 in A).

This season Kertész had started but was replaced by Ferenc Molnár after 6 games then after the 17th fixture Dino Canestri took over. The main new players this season were keeper Uber Gradella (Verona), defender Italo Romagnoli (Napoli), midfielders Alberto Fazio (San Lorenzo), Salvador Gualtieri (San Lorenzo) plus forward Aldo Puccinelli (Pontedera) and Otello Zironi (Modena).

Saying goodbye were: keepers Giacomo Blason (Napoli) and Vincenzo Provera (Pro Vercelli), defender Maximiliano Faotto (Napoli), midfielders Bruno Camolese (Vicenza), Luigi Milano (Napoli) plus forwards Evaristo Barrera (Napoli), Umberto Busani (Napoli) and Giovanni Costa (Spezia).

Some important players in Lazio history were coming and going.

So far in Serie A Lazio had played 23 games and were joint 10th with Roma, Triestina, Venezia and Napoli on 21 points. The Biancocelesti had won 6 (including the most recent game a 2-0 derby win against Roma), drawn 9 (including Juventus 2-2 at home on debut and first derby 1-1) and lost 8. There were two relegation slots and Lazio were only one point above (Genova on 20 while Bari were doomed on 12). There were however a lot of teams in a few points (Atalanta 5th were on 24).

Lazio's Coppa Italia campaign would start in May against Triestina away.

Torino the previous season had finished 6th. The manager was first Angelo Mattera (1-12) and then Hungarian Andreas Kuttik. Toro had drawn 1-1 in Rome against Lazio but lost 0-1 in Turin. The top scorer was, former Lazio, Emilio Capri with 11 total goals while just in the league it was Danilo Michelini with 10.

This season the manager was future Lazio Tony Cargnelli. The main new players were goalkeeper Filippo Cavalli (Casale) and forwards Oliviero Mascheroni (Novara), Oberdan Ussello (Vigevano - back from loan) and future film star Raffaele Vallone (Novara - back from loan).

Leaving Toro were goalkeeper Giuseppe Maina (retiring after nine years in the Granata jersey), midfielders, former Lazio, Libero Marchini (Lucchese), Bruno Neri (retiring) plus forwards Marco Borrini (Lucchese), Ermes Borsetti (Roma) and Luigi Ferrero (retiring).

Torino were currently 6th on 23 points. The Granata had won 8 (including Lazio 2-0 away, Fiorentina 6-2, Napoli 6-2 and Juventus 2-0 at home), drawn 7 (including Inter 5-5), and lost 8 (including most recent 1-2 away to Fiorentina).

Their Coppa Italia would start in May against Napoli.

A delicate game in Turin today as neither team could really afford to lose. Lazio were already in the relegation battle and Torino risked being dragged into it. Lazio however were riding the waves of enthusiasm of their derby triumph.

The match: Sunday, March 23, 1941, Stadio Filadelfia, Turin

A sunny spring day in Turin gathered about 15,000 fans at the old Filadelfia.

Lazio had no real absences while Torino were without midfielder Walter Pedron.

Torino scored early and gave the impression they could win relatively easily. In the 8th minute Oliviero Mascheroni flew past a couple of defenders and raced into the area where he beat Uber Gradella with a thundering rising shot into the roof of the net, an excellent goal and 1-0.

Torino were in control and went close to a second but just after the half hour things changed. In the 34th minute Salvador Gualtieri fed the ball into the area where Sergio Piacentini, worried by Silvio Piola's speed, attempted a back pass to the keeper but overhit it and it became a venomously precise shot just inside the post, 1-1.

From then on, the game was not the same. Torino lost confidence and became sloppy while Lazio doubled their determination to get at least a point.

In the second half Torino continued to attack but lacked lucidity and it was Lazio who went closer to scoring. Otello Zironi wasted two inviting counterattacks while the Torino keeper made two superb saves to deny first Piola and then Luigi Vettraino.

Despite having chances to win it, Lazio were the more satisfied with the draw at the final whistle. A point in Turin was seen as a positive outcome. The home fans reacted as if the Granata had lost such was their expectation to clinch the two points. Torino had started well but faded after their own goal blunder.

For Lazio the best performance was by midfielder and all-rounder Italo Romagnoli while Renato Ferrarese, Gualtieri and Enrique Flamini had also played well. Piola, who had three stitches and a bandage on his head, only played thirty minutes as centre-forward before moving to the wing.

Lazio had given continuity to their win over Roma and were now 12th, with Napoli and Venezia on 22 points. The Biancocelesti had gained a point on 17th placed Genova on 20 (defeated 2-6 in Trieste). Things were still difficult but looking up with six games to go.

Torino were still 6th on 24 points.

Who played for Torino

Olivieri, Piacentini, Ferrini, Cadario, Gallea, Baldi III, Mascheroni, Ganelli, Ossola, Ussello, Capri

Manager: Cargnelli

Who played for Lazio

Gradella, Ferrarese, Monza II, Gualtieri, Romagnoli, Ferri, Zironi, Dagianti, Piola, Flamini, Vettraino

Manager: Canestri

Referee: Galeati

Goals: 8' Mascheroni, 34' Piacentini (og)

What happened next

Lazio just managed to avoid relegation on goal difference. The Biancocelesti finished 14th. Lazio then won 1 (Fiorentina 4-1 at home), drew 3 and lost 2 and escaped the drop by the skin of their teeth. The top scorer was Silvio Piola with 10 league goals.

Things went better in the Coppa Italia where Lazio reached the semi-finals. The Biancocelesti defeated Triestina 2-1 away, Milano 2-0 away and Spezia 5-2 away but then lost to Venezia 1-3 away. A bit unlucky to never play in Rome.

Torino finished 7th. The Granata then lost the next 3 (including derby 1-2 and Genova 3-6 at home) but then won the last 3 (including Novara 5-1 and Livorno 5-2 at home). The top scorer was Franco Ossola with 14 league goals.

In Coppa Italia they too reached the semi-finals but lost to Roma 0-1 away in a replay (1-1 at home aet). The Torinisti had previously eliminated Napoli 2-1 away in replay (1-1 aet at home), Brescia 5-2 at home) and Padova 3-1 away.

In today's team Sergio Piacentini (1947-51) would one day play for Lazio (with no own goals). Other interesting squad members were Federico Allasio who would coach Lazio (1954) while Raf Vallone would go on to become a film star and make film with directors such as Pietro Germi, Alberto Lattuada, Dino Risi, Sidney Lumet, Anthony Mann, Vittorio De Sica, John Huston and Francis Ford Coppola, just to name a few.

The 1940-41 Scudetto was won by Bologna for the 6th time while Bari and Novara went down to Serie B. The Coppa Italia was lifted by Venezia who beat Roma 4-3 on aggregate (3-3, 1-0).

Let’s talk about Emilio Capri

Emilio Capri was born in Vicenza, on November 21, 1917.

His first club was his hometown team of Vicenza in 1936-37. The Lanerossi were in Serie C and he played 24 league games with 6 goals.

In 1937 he joined Lazio in Serie A. The manager was József Viola and the Biancocelesti finished 8th. Lazio had the great Silvio Piola and Umberto Busani up front but Capri managed to play 13 league games and score 2 goals (Milan, Fiorentina).

The following year Viola stayed but was replaced after 19 games by Luigi Allemandi. Lazio finished 10th and Capri played 17 league games with 4 goals (Torino, Novara, Milan, Roma) and 2 games in Coppa Italia. The highlight was beating Roma 2-0 in Testaccio and Capri played in that game although he did not score.

In 1939 he left the capital and joined Torino where he stayed two seasons. The Granata finished 6th in the first year, under Angelo Mattea and then Andreas Kuttik from the end of December. Capri had a good campaign scoring 9 goals in 23 league games (Liguria, Modena, Bari, Fiorentina, Milan, Bologna, Roma x2, Fiorentina) and 2 in Coppa Italia (Ambrosiana-Inter, Brescia) in 2 games. One of his teammates was future Lazio manager Federico Allasio (1954).

In his second year under "La Mole Antonelliana" the manager was Tony Cargnelli (Lazio 1946-48) and Toro finished 7th. Capri played 29 league games with 7 goals (Triestina, Bari, Fiorentina, Napoli, Inter, Novara, Livorno) and 5 games in Coppa Italia with 2 goals (Brescia, Roma).

In 1941 he returned home to Vicenza who were in Serie B. The manager was first Pietro Spinato and then, former Lazio player, Aldo Spivach (1928-32). The "Lane" were promoted in 2nd place. Capri played 26 league games with 7 goals (Prato, Brescia, Pro Patria, Prato x2, Spezia, Novara).

The following year, in Serie A, Spinato returned as manager and the Biancorossi finished 12th. Capri played 11 league games and 1 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Pro Patria). The highlights were beating Inter and Juventus away, 2-1 and 6-2. One of his teammates was, former Lazio, Bruno Camolese (1935-40).

The war then interrupted all the national leagues which returned in 1945.

In 1945 he joined nearby Treviso. The Biancocelesti were in Serie B- C Alta Italia and were promoted to Serie B. Capri then stayed another four years and the Trevigiani finished 4th, 13th (relegated), 3rd and 1st (promoted). He played a total of 62 league games with 4 goals (according to records but probably more).

At 32 he retired.

Capri was a forward who had a good club career. He played 93 games in Serie A with 22 goals. He also won a promotion to Serie A with his hometown club Vicenza

At Lazio he was a backup forward but he got his fair share of games, a total of 32 (30 in A) with 6 goals in two seasons. He scored in a derby and then went on to score three more goals against the Giallorossi playing for other clubs.