November 12, 1967: Reggina Lazio 2-1
Lazio throw away victory in Reggio Calabria
Lazio looked in control after taking a deserved first-half lead through Fava, but a late collapse allowed Reggina to turn the game around and snatch a 2-1 victory three minutes from time.
The season so far
The previous season had been a disaster and Lazio had dropped into Serie B for the second time in their history. Following the World Cup elimination of 1966 by North Korea, the Italia federation had decided to reduce the number of Serie A teams to 16 hence for the 1966-67 season four teams would be relegated. With one game to go, Spal, Vicenza and Lazio had 27 points and Brescia 28. Foggia, Venezia and Lecco had already been mathematically relegated so there was one place left. Final games: Juventus-Lazio, Brescia-Cagliari, Vicenza-Bologna and Spal-Venezia.
At the end of the first half Vicenza and Lazio were 0-0, Spal and Brescia were losing. There was still hope, but in the second half Lazio collapsed and Spal turned the game around. The Biancocelesti were relegated by one point.
Maino Neri, who had taken the place of Umberto Mannocchi earlier the previous season, was not confirmed as manager and in came Renato Gei. New arrivals were goalkeeper Rosario Di Vincenzo (Potenza), Pierluigi Ronzon (Napoli), Piero Cucchi (Varese), Nello Governato back from his loan to Vicenza, Costantino Fava (Treviso) and Giuliano Fortunato (Milan). Leaving Lazio were Piero Dotti and Vito D’Amato, both to Inter, Can Bartu (Fenerbahce), Enrico Burlando (Varese) and Roberto Gori (Livorno). In the Autumn transfer window Carlo Soldo had arrived from Inter.
In Coppa Italia Lazio had been eliminated by Reggina in the second round.
In Serie B it was early stages and the Biancocelesti still had to find their rhythm. They were eighth, they had won three, drawn three and lost two.
The match: Sunday, November 12, 1967, Stadio Comunale, Reggio Calabria
On 12 November 1967, Lazio travelled to Reggio Calabria to face Reggina in the tenth round of the Serie B championship.
The Biancocelesti, coached by Renato Gei, were looking to build some consistency after an uneven start to the season. For much of the afternoon, they appeared capable of doing just that, only to suffer another painful defeat in the closing stages.
Lazio produced a convincing performance in the first half, showing the balance and organisation that had been missing in previous matches. The defence was attentive, the midfield worked harmoniously through the efforts of Piero Cucchi, Bruno Gioia and the returning Alberto Mari, while the forward line looked lively with the pairing of Romano Bagatti and Costantino Fava.
The visitors deservedly took the lead in the 34th minute. Bagatti, making his return to the side, launched a powerful attacking move and supplied Fava, who finished past Bruno Jacoboni to put Lazio ahead. The goal rewarded an assured display, and the Biancocelesti went into the interval with good reason to feel confident.
Lazio continued to control proceedings after the break, but their advantage was undone in the 66th minute. Reggina launched a swift counterattack, with Gian Piero Ghiglione delivering a long diagonal cross into the penalty area. Vito Florio found himself with too much space as the Lazio defenders stood still. He controlled the ball on his chest before striking a precise diagonal shot beyond Rosario Di Vincenzo to level the score.
The equaliser transformed the atmosphere inside the Comunale. Encouraged by their supporters, Reggina began to believe that they could claim both points. The lively Giovanni Toschi caused problems with his dribbling, while the powerful Luigino Vallongo repeatedly tested the visitors’ defence.
Lazio, who had looked comfortable for long periods, suddenly found themselves under pressure. Yet a draw still seemed a likely outcome until three minutes from time, when the decisive blow arrived. Pietro Adorni was penalised for pulling Fabio Ferrario’s shirt just outside the penalty area, giving Reggina a free kick in a dangerous position. Bruno Divina struck through the defensive wall and beat Di Vincenzo, completing the comeback and sending the home crowd into celebration.
For Lazio, it was a bitter conclusion to a match they had largely controlled. The defeat was particularly frustrating because the team had shown improved balance and attacking purpose, with Bagatti and Fava combining effectively and the midfield providing a solid foundation.
However, their inability to protect the lead once again exposed a worrying vulnerability in the closing stages.
The result left Lazio on nine points after ten matches, five behind leaders Pisa. Reggina, meanwhile, moved up to twelve points and strengthened their position among the leading sides.
The Corriere dello Sport summed up Lazio’s self-inflicted defeat with the headline “Lazio suicida”. It was a harsh verdict, but one that reflected the frustration of a team that had done much of the hard work before allowing victory to slip away in the final minutes.
Who played for Reggina
Jacoboni, Sbano, Ghiglione, Divina, Sonetti, Gatti, G.Clerici, Ferrario, Vallongo, Florio, Toschi
Substitutes: L.Ferrari
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Lazio
Substitutes: Cei
Manager: Gei
Referee: Branzoni
Goals: 34' Fava, 66' Florio, 87' Divina.
What happened next
In Serie B Lazio did not do very well. At the halfway point of the season, they were 12th, though only four points away from the promotion zone (there were 17 teams in just eight points).
From then, things did not improve. Gei was sacked in February and the team was handed over to Bob Lovati.
With two games to the end of the season they had a four-point cushion over the relegation zone. They beat Foggia so got out of trouble.
They ended 11th, ten points away from promotion but just two above the relegation zone. With 12 0-0s in one season and no victories away from home, promotion was impossible.
The player with the most appearances was Ronzon with 42, and top scorer Fortunato with just 5 goals.
Let’s talk about Vito Florio
Vito Florio was an Italian midfielder who played for Lazio during the 1962-63 season and later became an important figure in the history of Reggina. He was born in Trieste on 9 June 1938 and died in his hometown on 18 September 2018, aged 80.
Florio began his senior career with Ponziana, the Trieste club where he developed as a young footballer.
In 1957 he moved to Catanzaro, where he spent five seasons and established himself as a reliable midfielder. He helped the Calabrian club win the Serie C championship in 1958-59, earning promotion to Serie B.
His performances made him an attractive prospect for clubs competing at a higher level.
In the summer of 1962, Florio joined Lazio, who were in Serie B. He made seven league appearances during the 1962-63 campaign, without scoring, before leaving Rome at the end of the season. The Biancocelesti were promoted back to Serie A.
His spell with the Lazio was brief, but it formed part of a career that would see him become a familiar name in Italian second- and third-tier football.
After a season with Carrarese, Florio joined Reggina in 1964. It was there that he enjoyed the most significant period of his career. Under coach Tommaso Maestrelli, Reggina won the Serie C championship in 1964-65 and secured promotion to Serie B. Florio was part of the team that established the club in the second division and came close to achieving another promotion in the following years.
A technically capable midfielder, Florio remained with Reggina until 1970. He made 152 league appearances and scored 18 goals for the club, becoming an important member of the side during a successful period in its history.
His consistency and contribution to Reggina's rise earned him lasting affection among the club's supporters.
In the final stages of his career, Florio played for Castrovillari and Vis Pesaro. He retired from football in 1973, having spent 17 seasons in senior football and competed across Serie B, Serie C and the lower divisions.
His career totals included more than 350 appearances in league competitions, according to historical statistical records.
His time at Lazio lasted only one season and Vito Florio's career is particularly associated with Reggina, where he helped lay the foundations for the club's development in the 1960s.
He belonged to a generation of players who built their reputations through consistency and hard work outside the spotlight of Italy's top division.
Lazio Career
Season | Serie B Appearances |
1962-63 | 7 |
Sources
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