Top scorer Garlini gives Lazio much needed win
A stunning volley by the prolific Lazio striker lifts the Biancocelesti to mid-table
Also on this day: March 29, 1987, Lazio Campobasso 1-0. Not a great performance but an important win, however it was “arrivederci” and not “addio” to the Molisani… Lazio hero of the day: Giancarlo Camolese
The season so far
Lazio's new dawn under Giorgio Chinaglia had failed and they were back in Serie B. Despite changing manager twice (Paolo Carosi to Juan Carlos Lorenzo and finally to Bob Lovati/Giancarlo Oddi) Lazio came second bottom and made the drop. Chinaglia's financial partners had never materialized and he had been forced to leave. From February this year the new president was Franco Chimenti. Turbulent times on and off the pitch.
This year the new manager was much respected Gigi Simoni. Lazio had been obliged to sell their star players: Bruno Giordano (Napoli), Lionello Manfredonia (Juventus) and Michael Laudrup (Juventus - end of 2-year loan). Also leaving were keepers Massimo Cacciatori (Gubbio) and Fernando Orsi (Arezzo), defender Renato Miele (Triestina), midfielder Giancarlo Marini (Genoa) plus Brazilian Joāo Batista had left in the autumn session (Avellino).
Lazio had brought in some players more suitable to the new financial and sporting situation. A rare deal with Roma was made and in came goalkeeper Astutillo Malgioglio, three defenders arrived: Fabio Calcaterra (Inter-loan), Roberto Galbiati (Torino) and Giorgio Magnocavallo (Atalanta), a midfielder Domenico Caso (Torino) and two forwards, Giuliano Fiorini (Genoa) and Fabio Poli (Cagliari). The two forwards would later prove to be history changers for Lazio.
After a decent start (4 wins and a draw in the first 6 games) things were not going well. The team were suffering from the uncertainty at club level and were just below mid table, nearer relegation than promotion. So far the Biancocelesti had won 8, drawn 9 and lost 10, disappointing. They had lost the last two matches. One positive note was the in-form striker Oliviero Garlini who had already scored 14 league goals.
Today's opposition Catania were in a similar position. The Rossoblu had won 8 (including Lazio 2-1), drawn 9 and lost 12. They were two points behind Lazio and had already changed managers twice (Gennaro Rambone to Salvatore Bianchetti and then Antonio Colomban). The president was after all, mercurial Angelo Massimino. Catania had two Brazilians in their squad (the borders had been reopened in 1982 when the " Etnei" were in Serie A), Pedrinho and Luvanor. They also had a former Lazio player, keeper Dario Marigo, on their books (30 league appearances for Lazio, 1980-82)
Today's game was important for both teams to avoid being dragged down into the thick of the relegation battle.
The match: Saturday, March 29, 1986, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A sunny, mild pre-Easter afternoon gathered a crowd of 25,000 at the Olimpico.
The match pattern was clear from the start as Catania showed all they wanted was to take a point back to Sicily. They defended deep and blocked the wings where they feared Lazio's Gabriele Podavini and Magnocavallo's incursions.
In the first half the visitors game plan was successful as Lazio were rarely dangerous. The Biancocelesti had a couple of shots with Alessandro Toti and Caso and a couple of Garlini headers but nothing to cause Marco Onorati to lose any sleep over. Halftime Lazio 0 Catania 0 and sterile domination by the Romans.
The second half started with a bang. First Magnocavallo had a penalty appeal turned down and then Lazio scored. In the 49th minute, after a double attempt by Fortunato Torrisi and Caso, "bomber" Garlini fired home with a fine volley.
After breaking the deadlock Lazio had no problems whatsoever absorbing Catania's feeble reaction. The Lazio keeper, Mario Ielpo, basically did not have to dirty his gloves and all Catania could muster was a Pedrinho innocuous shot.
The only events to note were a shoulder injury to Torrisi, replaced by a lively Vincenzo D'Amico, and the sendings off in the 82nd minute of Lazio’s Calcaterra and Catania's Carlo Borghi for some theatrical pushing and shoving. Final score Lazio 1 Catania 0.
A precious two points for Lazio despite a far from memorable performance. They had however deserved to win and now pushed themselves up to mid-table. Once again, they could thank "Oliviero, bomber vero"
Who played for Lazio
Ielpo, Podavini, Calisti, Galbiati, Calcaterra, Magnocavallo, Torrisi (57' D'Amico), Toti, Dell'Anno (79' Corti), Caso, Garlini
Manager: Simoni
Who played for Catania
M. Onorati, Picone, De Simone, Maggiora, Canuti (73' Mandressi), Polenta, Puzone, Pedrinho, Borghi, P.Braglia (46' Longobardo), Picci
Substitutes: Marigo, Longobado, Lubbia, Luvanor, Mandressi
DT: Mazzetti
Manager: Colomban
Referee: Vecchiatini
Goal: 49' Garlini
What happened next
Lazio's season didn't improve, if anything it got worse. A week later they lost 3-2 at Ascoli and then, in the following 7 games, lost 2 and drew 5. They were seriously risking relegation before a decisive 3-2 away victory at Catanzaro. They then beat already promoted Brescia 4-2 and finished joint 11th, only 3 points above the last relegated team. An anonymous season ended with 11 wins, 14 draws and 13 defeats. The only positive note, apart from avoiding a shock relegation, was having Oliviero Garlini as top Serie B scorer with 18 goals.
In the summer unfortunately, things got worse. Lazio’s midfielder Claudio Vinazzani was accused of being involved in the Calcio scommesse (Betting scandal). The football authorities original punishment request was direct relegation to C1, but luckily it was then softened to a nine point docking in the following year's Serie B. With only two points per victory however this was still a heavy burden. A new coach arrived, Eugenio Fascetti, and so the famous -9 season started ... but that's another story.
Catania finished the season stronger. A week later they beat Monza 1-0 and then in the last 9 games the "Etnei" won 3, drew 5 and lost 1. They ended up joint 11th with other two teams, including Lazio.
Promotion was won by Ascoli, Brescia and Empoli (replacing Vicenza- for involvement in Calcio scommesse). The teams falling to C1 were Pescara, Catanzaro and Monza while Perugia were punished with C2 for Calcio scommesse accusations.
Lazio 1985-86
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie B | 38 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 38 |
Coppa Italia | 5 | 2 | 3 | - | 5 |
Total | 43 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 43 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Garlini | 43 | 38 | 5 |
39 | 34 | 5 | |
Calcaterra | 37 | 33 | 4 |
Galbiati | 35 | 30 | 5 |
Vinazzani | 35 | 30 | 5 |
Top goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Garlini | 18 | 18 | - |
Caso | 5 | 4 | 1 |
Fiorini | 5 | 3 | 2 |
Podavini | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Let’s talk about Francesco Dell'Anno
Francesco Dell'Anno was born in Baiano (Avellino), on June 4, 1967.
Dell'Anno was a product of the Lazio youth sector. He arrived at 13 and went through all the various age group levels.
He made his Serie A debut on October 28 1984 in a home game against Cremonese. He was an extremely gifted attacking midfielder. In his first season, under Juan Carlos Lorenzo and then Oddi, he showed great promise and was considered a rising star. He played 14 league matches and was one of the few positive notes in a dismal season which saw Lazio relegated to Serie B.
In his second year he played 21 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia. He showed flashes of class but Lazio again had a disappointing season and there were doubts over Dell'Anno's strength of character. He had the skills but like many young talents lacked continuity and rumours were rife of behavioural deficiencies.
The following year with a deduction of 9 points and the arrival of Eugenio Fascetti he joined Arezzo in C1. He stayed in Tuscany four seasons (with one spent on loan at Taranto) playing 60 games with 4 goals.
Between 1990 and 1993 he was at Udinese. The last season he was back in Serie A. He played regularly over his three seasons and performed well playing 98 league games with 10 goals.
In 1993 came a surprise move to Inter. The Milanese were renewing their squad and hoping to play a more entertaining style of football. Inter paid 14 billion lire for Dell'Anno (approx 7 million Euros) and the same year paid only 18 for Dennis Bergkamp...
In his first year at Inter the Nerazzurri had a strange season. They changed manager from Osvaldo Bagnoli to former player Gian Piero Marini and almost got relegated (they were and still are the only team never to have been in serie B) but won the UEFA Cup. Dell'Anno played 15 league games and 3 in Coppa Italia.
In 1994-95, under Ottavio Bianchi, he played less, 9 league games, but scored his first goal, a 1-0 winner at Bari. Inter came 6th and saw the club change ownership from Ernesto Pellegrini to Massimo Moratti (who would lead Inter to great things).
In Dell'Anno's final year Inter changed manager twice (Bianchi to Luis Suarez to Roy Hodgson) but he got 16 league appearances and 3 in Coppa Italia. Inter came 7th.
In the summer Dell'Anno was sold to Salernitana in Serie B. At Inter with the arrivals of midfielders Ciriaco Sforza, Aron Winter (from Lazio) and Youri Djorkaeff plus forward Ivan Zamorano and Nwankwo Kanu there was no longer space for Dell'Anno.
In Salerno he stayed one season. He played 27 league games with 1 goal (1-0 winner against Ravenna). "I Granata" (The Garnets) came a disappointing 15th.
After scoring a goal against them, Ravenna then became his next team. He stayed in Romagna four seasons playing 91 games and scoring 23 goals.
In 2001 he joined Ternana. He stayed one season playing 29 games with 1 goal. Unfortunately, "Le Fere" (The Beasts in Umbrian dialect) were relegated to C1.
Dell'Anno then retired at the age of 35.
Dell'Anno's career was one of highs and lows. He played for Lazio in Serie A and then at Inter with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Rubén Sosa winning a UEFA Cup but had also spent many years in the lower divisions. He was an exceptional talent but obviously did not fulfil his enormous talent. For many years he suffered from unspecified back problems but with his natural ability and footballing mind he could have done a lot more with his career.
At Lazio he will always be remembered as a great promise, and the club and fans had great hopes for him, but he never lived up to the expectations.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
1984-85 | 14 | 14 | - | - |
1985-86 | 23 | - | 21 | 2 |
Aug-Oct 1986 | 2 | - | - | 2 |
Total | 39 | 14 | 21 | 4 |
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