May 17 1942: Genova 1893-Lazio 1-2
- Dag Jenkins
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Lazio move up to 4th place
Despite missing Piola the Biancocelesti win their second game on the road and join Genova in the table
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finished 14th (out of 16) so only narrowly escaped relegation. They had three different managers: Hungarian Géza Kertész (1-6), compatriot Ferenc Molnár (7-17) and Dino Canestri (18-30). The highlight was beating Roma 2-0 with two goals by Silvio Piola, the other derby was 1-1. Lazio reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia after eliminating Triestina, Milan and Spezia but then lost to Venezia 1-3 away. Top scorer was Piola with 10 league goals.
This season the manager was Austrian Alexander Popovic and things were going better. The main new players were: defender Maximiliano Faotto (back from Napoli), midfielder Bruno Camolese (back from Vicenza) and Albanian forward Loro Boriçi (Vllaznia Scutari).
Leaving were: midfielder Vittorio Dagianti (Salernitana) and forward Umberto Lombardini (Ala Littoria - on loan).
So, not many important changes to the squad but Lazio were currently 5th on 28 points. The Biancocelesti had won 10 (including Torino 4-1, Bologna 5-1, Triestina 5-0 at home and Inter 1-0 away), drawn 8 and lost 7 (including derby 1-2). A week earlier they had beaten Juventus 2-1 at home.
In the Coppa Italia the Biancocelesti had been eliminated by Milano (A.C Milan) 2-4 in the last 16. The Biancocelesti had previously beaten Bari 4-2 at home.
Genova 1893, who were Genoa with a more nationalist name, had finished 10th in Serie A the previous season. The manager was Ottavio Barbieri and the top scorer Giacomo Neri with 11 league goals. The games against Lazio had ended 2-2 in Genoa and 1-0 for the Rossoblu in Rome.
This season the manager was Guido Ara. The main new players were: goalkeeper Orlando Sain (Inter), midfielders Federico Allasio, Primo Andrighetto (Bari) and Bruno Barbieri (Brescia) plus forwards Mario Bo (Juventus), Pietro Sotgiu (Littorio Rivarolo) and Guglielmo Trevisan (Triestina).
Leaving were: goalkeeper Carlo Ceresoli (Juventus), midfielder Michele Borelli (injured for a season then Ivrea), Giorgio Michelini (Brescia), Athos Miniati (Brescia), Carlo Paoletti (Napoli), Luigi Scarabello (retired to become an actor, after marrying Lilia Silvi considered the Italian Shirley Temple) plus forwards Elisio Gabardo (physical problems) and Alfredo Lazzaretti (Novara).
Genova 1893 were doing well again and were currently 4th on 30 points and only three points from the top. (Roma and Torino on 33). The Rossoblu had won 10 (including Roma twice 2-0 and 2-1, Inter 6-1, Modena 6-0 and Torino 4-3), drawn 10 (including Lazio 1-1) and lost 5. The previous week they had won the derby against Liguria 4-3 away.
In the Coppa Italia they had beaten Pescara 2-1 away but were then eliminated by Juventus 1-2 in Turin.
A big match therefore in Genoa today between two in form teams. Lazio however were a lot better at home than away; unbeaten at home with 22 points but only one win and 6 points away. Genova therefore were slight favourites.
The match: Sunday, May 17, 1942, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa
A bright and sunny day but windy in Liguria saw about 10,000 spectators present.
Lazio had two big absences as neither forwards Aldo Puccinelli nor Silvio Piola were available.
Genova 1893 were missing forward Guglielmo Trevisan.
The game started at a slow pace and the defences had the upper hand and the goalkeepers made only routine interventions.
The first big chance fell to Genova. Giacomo Neri raced away from Alfredo Monza and when he reached the byline cut it back to Ugo Conti but the forward from Leghorn hit it wide.
Genova insisted but Neri was too far forward on a good Conti cross and then Italo Romagnoli defended well heading away before Conti could get to it.
Lazio replied with a neat Flamini-Baldo-Gualtieri move but Federico Allasio prevented Albanian forward Loro Boriçi from finishing it off.
Genova then went extremely close but Bruno Ispiro's header went just the wrong side of the post.
The game then became more balanced with only half chances for both sides.
The breakthrough came in the 38th minute. Alessandro Ferri crossed into the middle where Vittorio Sardelli's clearance was short and Silvestro Pisa was there to beat Orlando Sain whose view was obscured in the crowded area, 0-1.
Lazio could have doubled their lead thirty seconds later. Giuseppe Baldo found himself with only the keeper to beat but several players appealed for offside which disorientated the Lazio player who hesitated and lost the moment. The referee said it was all good but it was too late.
Lazio were in a good period and Pisa smashed a shot onto the crossbar and Boriçi was not alert enough on the rebound. Half time: Genova 0 Lazio 1.
Genova had started better, then the game had even out and finally Lazio had been on top.
Lazio started the second half on the front foot too and Pisa shaved the post three times.
Genova responded and Sergio Bertoni hit a long ball forward which cut out the Lazio defence and reached Conti who burst towards the visitors goal while at the same time Uber Gradella sprinted off his line. The race was narrowly won by the forward who shot and the ball went over the keeper's head but also just over the bar.
Genova had a couple of shots off target with Conti and Ispiro before Lazio threatened again but Baldo wasted a good Salvador Gualtieri initiative.
On the hour mark Lazio were awarded a penalty. Baldo was clear on goal and was challenged by Sain who however lost the ball, Baldo got up to try again and was visibly pulled down by the keeper. Pisa put away the spotkick, 0-2.
Lazio then got a third but it was controversially disallowed. Sain raced out of his area to tackle Baldo whom he fouled but then lost the ball and the Tuscan midfielder scored in the open goal. The referee however claimed he had already blown for the foul.
Genova tried to get back in the game with a Conti effort just wide and then Conti missed a sitter when he fired over the bar from close range after Gradella had clumsily parried a Mario Perazzolo shot.
A minute later Genova pulled a goal back. In the 79th minute Primo Andrighetto crossed into the middle where, among a lot of bodies, Ispiro's head emerged and Gradella was beaten, 1-2.
There followed a predictable onslaught by the Rossoblu. Lazio were in difficulty but after several corners, a penalty appeal for handball and a threatening Perazzolo effort the referee blew up for full time. Final score: Genova 1 Lazio 2.
A hard-fought game which could have gone either way. Lazio had taken their chances better and added to the disallowed goal and the crossbar one could claim their win was by no means undeserved.
A good win for Lazio against quality opponents (only their second home defeat) especially without star striker Silvio Piola.
Lazio had caught up with Genova in 4th place on 30 points.
Who played for Genova 1893
Manager: Ara
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Popovic
Referee: Pizziolo
Goals: 38' Pisa I, 60' Pisa I (pen), 79' Ispiro
What happened next
Lazio finished strongly and came joint 4th with Genova on 37 points. In the last 4 matches the Biancocelesti won 3 (including Milano 5-2 away) and drew against Roma 1-1. The top scorer was Silvio Piola with 21 goals (18 in A).
Genova 1893 finished well too, winning 3 and drawing 1. The top scorer was Bruno Ispiro with 17 league goals. They too came 4th with the same goal difference (+18) but with a better goal quotient.
Out of today's squad Bruno Ispiro would one day play for Lazio (1946-47) while Federico Allasio would be Lazio manager in 1954 for the last ten league games and then the first seven of the 1954-55 season before being replaced by Englishman George Raynor.
The Scudetto was won by Roma while Napoli and Modena went down to Serie B.
Let’s talk about Giovanni Minotto
Giovanni Minotto was Lazio president from 1941 to 1944.
He had previously been Lieutenant in Bologna and then head of the Siena CONI (Olympic Committee) in 1939. He was also involved with the Athletics Federation as a councillor for many years.
In 1941 he was placed in charge of Lazio's football section. A political decision as was the norm in those days. He stayed three years working with Cesare Mariani who was General Secretary.
Under his presidency Lazio finished 5th and 9th in Serie A and then won the Roman War League when national sport was interrupted. These were the years of players such as Silvio Piola, Aldo Puccinelli, Enrique Flamini, Salvador Gualtieri, Uber Gradella, Alfredo Monza, Luciano Ramella, Giuseppe Baldo, Silvestro Pisa, Engelbert Koenig to name a few. The managers were Alexander Popovic for two seasons and then Dino Canestri.
Minotti administered the club in the difficult years of WW2.
In 1944 he was succeeded at Lazio by Andrea Ercoli.
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