March 6, 1955: Roma Lazio 1-3
- Simon Basten
- 6 hours ago
- 7 min read
Dominant Lazio
Lazio destroy Roma thanks to Hansen and a Burini brace
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had arrived 11th. After an excellent first half of the season where the Biancocelesti were eighth but just four points off fourth place, in the second half they only earned 12 points and fell behind. Even if they sank in the table, they were never really in danger of relegation, always maintaining a comfortable cushion between themselves and the drop. Manager Mario Sperone had been sacked after 24 games, replaced by Federico Allasio.
Allasio had been confirmed and in the summer transfer window some interesting players had arrived: goalkeeper Giuseppe Zibetti (Brescia), historic Juventus defender Carlo Parola and Attilio Giovannini (Inter), midfielder Renzo Sassi (Legnano) plus forward and another Juventus legend John Hansen. Leaving Lazio were Lucidio Sentimenti IV (Vicenza) and Serafino Montanari who had decided to retire. The club sent a number of players out on loan: Roberto Lovati (just bought from Monza, was sent to Torino), Renato Spurio (Monza), Franco Carradori (Palermo) and Paolo Bettolini (Monza). Enrique Flamini left to play for Terracina.
Lazio had a terrible start to the season, In the first seven games they managed one win (against Fiorentina), a draw in the derby and the rest were losses. They were last. Allasio was sacked and the duo George Raynor-Roberto Copernico were called in to rescue the season. Raynor had done very well as head coach for Sweden and the previous year he had, briefly, managed Juventus.
The Biancocelesti were currently 13th, three points clear of the relegation zone while Roma were third, just four points off the top.
The match: Sunday, march 6, 1955, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
The game opened with a cross from Renzo Burini (1’) that John Hansen collected awkwardly on the right. Giuseppe Moro made an easy save. Roma replied with a free kick by Luigi Giuliano (2’), which was lofted high into the air by a clumsy defensive touch. A foul by Carlo Galli halted the action. Another free kick from Celestino Celio (3’) was struck directly wide by the Roma player. In the 5th minute, Moro again had routine work to do on a weak header from Hansen. Two minutes later, Attilio Giovannini, challenged by Galli, hesitated, but Giuseppe Zibetti came off his line promptly to claim the ball.
Free kick by Primo Sentimenti V in the 10th minute. Once more Hansen rose to meet it, heading backward, but Moro was well positioned and gathered safely. Arcadio Venturi broke down the right in the 11th minute, sending in a driven cross from near the by-line, but Zibetti smothered it with a timely low intervention.
In the 12th minute came a move and cross by Per Bredesen that Hansen failed to intercept. The ball dropped back to Pasquale Vivolo, who attempted a shot, striking Armando Cavazzuti full on as he had tracked back to help. Burini then returned the ball from the left with a measured, looping cross; Hansen leapt at the far side and headed downward from above. Moro’s dive was a fraction late, and the ball nestled in the lower left corner. Lazio took the lead.
Roma appeared visibly shaken, so much so that the next attacking move again belonged to Lazio. Burini finished it with a volley from a lateral touch by Hansen, narrowly missing the top corner (14’). Rain began falling again, soon turning into a downpour. Play continued, with Roma attempting to push forward, but nine full minutes passed before anything notable occurred.
In the 23rd minute, Sentimenti V halted an opponent and launched a deep move: to Hansen, then to Vivolo. The Biancoceleste centre-forward burst forward, dribbled past Amos Cardarelli, and from the right fired in a low cross that flashed across the entire face of goal as Moro dived too late.
Roma tried to respond with a Luigi Giuliano free kick (25’). Raoul Bortoletto, who had advanced into the penalty area, tried to meet the cross but was pressured and the ball passed beyond him.
More Lazio raids followed in the 26th minute: receiving from Hansen, Vivolo unleashed a powerful low drive from the edge of the box that went narrowly wide. In the 27th minute referee Agnolin intervened to calm tempers flaring between Alberto Eliani and Sigvard Lofgren.
In the 29th minute Armando Cavazzuti surged forward but was fouled by Francesco Antonazzi near the edge of the area. The resulting set piece was finished by Bortoletto with a very high shot. Another Roma free kick from the edge came in the 31st minute. Giuliano struck it hard and flat; Zibetti, positioned near his right post, reacted lightning-fast to punch it away.
Yet another Roma free kick followed in the 33rd minute after a crude shove by Renzo Sassi on Egisto Pandolfini. The resulting delivery led to a corner, conceded by Hansen tracking back. Venturi mishandled the cross. In the 35th minute Roma conceded a lateral free kick to Bredesen, who drove it just under the bar; Hansen leapt but failed to connect.
Roma won their second corner in the 37th minute. The ball returned to Giuliano, sparking a prolonged and frantic scramble. Celestino Celio arrived at speed and fired a low shot that Zibetti deflected fortuitously with his foot. The pressure continued until Zibetti finally dived on the ball.
Antonazzi produced a fine defensive header in the 38th minute from a Venturi free kick. Moro was tested in the 41st minute by a long-range Burini effort. A quick Celio–Venturi exchange followed, and Venturi shot from just inside the area, but Zibetti gathered at mid-height near the post.
In the beginning of the second half, a long pass from Hansen sought Burini. Giuliano was beaten in the dribble, and the left winger sprinted clear with gazelle-like speed. Moro’s attempt to come off his line was in vain; the low cross-shot into the far corner made it 2–0. It was the 46th minute.
In the 47th minute Pandolfini, weaving toward the Biancoceleste goal, collided with Sassi and fell, though he soon recovered. In the 50th minute Lazio produced another fine move, aided by Roma’s static defending. Vivolo and Bredesen exchanged passes almost at a standstill before the Norwegian broke free and crossed from near the by-line. Hansen collected, dribbled past his marker, and fired sharply from the edge: a combination of Moro’s fist and the right post kept it out.
Lazio’s dominance became complete. In the 57th minute the lead was extended: a distant free kick by Sentimenti V found Hansen’s head, and Burini, charging in, nudged the ball forward with his thigh and scored from a step away. 3–0.
Roma replied with a Cavazzuti effort wide (58’), and shortly afterward pulled one back. In the 60th minute Cardarelli floated a free kick from just outside the area. The ball was directed toward Zibetti, but the Lazio goalkeeper inexplicably let it slip through his hands. 3–1.
Zibetti redeemed himself in the 66th minute. From a corner situation, Giousè Stucchi drove the ball back in fiercely; despite being charged, Zibetti punched it off the line with both fists. The scramble continued, and Cavazzuti attempted a high turn from a central position, but Zibetti held firm again.
In the 70th minute Cardarelli shot wide from distance following a Venturi–Celio move. Roma’s corners rose to four (73’). In the 75th minute Pandolfini broke free on the left and crossed toward Galli near goal. The centre-forward stooped to head but sent it wide—fortunately for Lazio, he was offside.
Lazio earned their first corner of the day in the 77th minute (punched away by Moro), and another in the 79th. Burini shot from distance, and Moro saved in two attempts. Cardarelli tried another free kick in the 81st minute but sent it over the bar.
In the 83rd minute another scramble erupted in front of the Lazio goal, finished by Giuliano with a shot wide to the right. Zibetti punched clear a Roma corner in the 84th minute.
In the 86th minute Bredesen broke through alone but was flagged offside. The move was repeated in the 88th minute, and this time the decision puzzled many (though the linesman had signalled). Cardarelli fouled Burini near the area in the 89th minute; from the free kick Burini shot high.
In the 90th minute Roma won another corner. A furious melee followed, with shots and blocks in rapid succession: a Celio drive that nearly hit the top corner, a missed overhead attempt by Bortoletto, and finally a Venturi shot wide.
The referee blew for full time. Celebrations began among the Lazio players, who gathered around George Raynor and Roberto Copernico. The Roma supporters vented their frustration with whistles.
Who played for Roma
Moro, Eliani, Stucchi, Bortoletto, Cardarelli, Venturi, Giuliano, Pandolfini, Galli, Celio, Cavazzuti
Manager: Carver
Who played for Lazio
Zibetti, Antonazzi, Di Veroli, Sentimenti V, Giovannini, Sassi II, Bredesen, Lofgren, Vivolo, Hansen, Burini
Manager: Raynor
TD: Copernico
Referee: Agnolin
Goals: 12' Hansen, 46' Burini, 57' Burini, 60' Cardarelli.
What happened next
In the second half of the season Lazio improved considerably. With four games to the end of the season they had a six-point cushion over 17th place and in the end arrived 12th. A miracle considering that after nine games they were last on three points. A big hand came from Zibetti who was really miraculous at times, and John Hansen. His 15 goals were fundamental.
The players with most appearances this season were Burini, Sentimenti V and Giovannini with 31.
Let’s talk about Mario Vaselli
Mario Vaselli was involved with Lazio helping the club financially during the 1950s. He was joint president with Costantino Tessarolo from 1954 to 1956 and was the one who helped with the signings of Arne Selmosson and Humberto Tozzi among others. He even financed the purchase of Luis Vinicio whom he instead left to Napoli to help out his friend Achille Lauro.
The heavy financial situation of the club forced Tessarolo and him to leave in 1956. Lazio had spent way too much and had a billion lire deficit. The new president Leonardo Siliato was forced to sell Selmosson to Roma to try and improve the situation.
Vaselli also financed the Movimento Sociale Italiano, the neo-fascist party born at the end of the second world war.
He did a lot for Lazio but maybe bit off more than he could chew.
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