Lazio win promotion clash on Straits
- Dag Jenkins
- Dec 17, 2023
- 3 min read
Game 14, Serie B
Sunday, December 17, 1961
Stadio Giovanni Celeste, Messina
Messina-Lazio 1-2
A comeback win in Sicily pushes the Biancocelesti into Serie A slots
So far Lazio had won 5, drawn 6 and lost 2 (including most recent game 0-2 at home to Pro Patria). The Biancocelesti were in 2nd place on 16 points, with Modena and Messina.
In Serie B this year Messina were doing well again. The Giallorossi had won 6 (including Napoli 2-0 at home), drawn 4 and lost 3.
A promotion clash today in Messina between two sides on the same points. Messina had already beaten promotion hopefuls Genoa and Napoli at home and had the best attack with 21 goals. Lazio came from a bad defeat while Messina from a win but today was another day.
The match
It was an uncharacteristic freezing day on the Straits of Messina. The game was played in sleet in front of about 12,000 spectators.
Lazio were missing midfielder Guido Gratton and forward Claudio Bizzarri while Messina were without goalkeeper Ademaro Breviglieri and forward Italo Carminati.
After a balanced first quarter of an hour the game suddenly came alive. In the 14th minute Vincenzo Gasperi and Adelmo Eufemi were not impeccable and allowed Bruno Benetti to shoot but it went just wide. A minute later the Giallorossi scored, Giampiero Calloni sent Paolo Lazzotti down the right and the Tuscan raced into the area and beat Idilio Cei coming off his line, 1 -0.
Lazio then dominated territory and possession but played too horizontally and had difficulty being dangerous.
Lazio however managed to equalise in the 40th minute with long range cracker by Gasperi, 1-1 at half time.
Lazio then went ahead early in the second half. In the 52nd minute Eufemi sent a long ball forward and Paolo Ferrario was clever in getting between Angelo Stucchi and Giuseppe Bosco then lobbed the keeper, 1-2.
Messina responded energetically and Nicola Ciccolo had an effort cleared off the line by Eufemi and then a Benetti shot was well saved by Cei.
Lazio were still active on the break and former Messina player Graziano Landoni went close to punishing his old club.
The game was end to end and entertaining. Diego Zanetti acrobatically blocked a Lazzotti strike that looked destined for the back of the net.
For the Biancocelesti Juan Carlos Morrone and Ferrari both devoured good chances on the counterattack.
The last fifteen minutes were all Messina. Cei saved low on a Stefano Bernini header and again on a long range shot by Stucchi. In the 85th minute the Biancoscudati thought they had equalised. Stucchi crossed, Ciccolo nodded the ball to Calloni who poked the ball in. The locals celebrated and referee Roversi pointed to the centre circle but in the mayhem the linesman had had his flag raised the whole time, Ciccolo was offside.
The Sicilians were furious and still desperately tried to salvage a point but apart from a few potentially dangerous scrambles in Lazio's area never really threatened. Final score Messina 1 Lazio 2.
A good game of football which could have gone either way but it was Lazio who clinched the important promotion points. The Messina fans however were livid and there was crowd trouble after the game and the riot police had to intervene.
Lazio were now joint 2nd, with Modena on 18 points. Messina dropped down to joint 4th, on 16 points with Pro Patria and Brescia.
Who played for Messina
Rossi, Dotti, Stucchi, Radaelli, Bosco, Spagni, Benetti, Lazzotti, Calloni, Bernini, Ciccolo
Manager: Mannocci
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Todeschini
Referee: Roversi
Goals: 15' Lazzotti, 40' Gasperi. 52' Ferrario
Sources
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