Fantoni one two gives Lazio important win
Goals by Fantoni I and Fantoni II tame the visiting tigers
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finished 13th under Brazilian player-manager Amílcar. Their best results had been beating Juventus 2-1 away and today's opposition Pro Patria 5-0 at home. Top scorer was Anfilogino Guarisi, known as Filó, with 12 league goals.
This season the manager was Austrian Karl Stürmer. The main new signings were defender Armando Bertagni (Salernitana), midfielder Pietro Buscaglia (GC Vigevanesi), forwards Antonio Bisigato (Bari), Leonisio Fantoni III (Palestra Itália) and Piero Pastore (back after a year with Milan).
Leaving the capital were defender Orlando Tognotti (Terni), midfielders Amílcar (retiring), Mario Malatesta (Milan) and Aldo Spivach (Padova) plus forward Carlo Cevenini V (Pisa). So, some important players were saying farewell.
So far Lazio had 2 wins (Ambrosiana Inter 2-1 away and Roma 2-1), 2 draws (Palermo 1-1 and Bari 0-0, both at home) and 3 defeats (Napoli 1-3 away in the opener, Torino 2-4 away and Genova 1893 1-2 away). The most recent game had been the loss in Genoa but the derby triumph (with an 85th minute Josè Castelli winner) was only two games ago. Lazio were on 6 points.
The previous season Pro Patria had finished 10th under Hungarian Imre Janos Bekey as T.D and Leopoldo Conti on the bench as player-manager. Top scorer had been Italo Rossi with 8 league goals. The Bustocchi (from Busto Arsizio, Varese) had beaten Lazio in Rome and drawn at home.
This season Conti had stayed on as player-manager, without the Magyar. The squad was pretty much unchanged, the Lombards only significant signing was forward Mario Loetti (Gallaratese).
Pro patria had two interesting players in a Lazio perspective: Paolo Agosteo who would join Lazio in 1939 but never play, and Alfredo Monza who would join in 1935 and play 230 league games with the Biancocelesti.
So far things were not going particularly well for the "Tigrotti" (The Tigers), despite having beaten Milan. The Biancoblu had won 2 (Milan 2-1 and Padova 1-0) and lost 5 (Ambrosiana Inter 2-6, Alessandria 0-1, Casale 2-3 and Juventus 0-2, all away and Genova 1893 3-4 at home). Pro Patria therefore were on 4 points. The good news for the Bustocchi was their win against Padova had come a week before today's clash in Rome.
A game to win for Lazio today against struggling Pro Patria.
The match: Sunday, November 1932, Stadio PNF, Rome
It was a cold and windy day in Rome and a crowd of 10,000 turned up.
Lazio played in their red second shirts, as hospitality dictated at the time.
The visitors started brightly with a couple of Conti shots off target. Lazio responded with efforts by Joāo Fantoni I and Antonio Bisigato but Gaetano Colombo the keeper was ready.
In the 4th minute Lazio went in front. The Biancocelesti were awarded a free kick for a push by Adolfo Dusi on Castelli, Ottavio Fantoni II then took a blistering shot which beat Colombo. Lazio 1 Pro Patria 0.
Lazio insisted and the visitors were pegged back in their own half for long periods. In the 14th minute Pro Patria's defender Paolo Agosteo was forced off through injury but he then came back on eight minutes later and placed himself on the wing while Pio Mara went back in defence.
Lazio piled on the pressure and Colombo was busy, especially on a Castelli strike. Lazio keeper and captain Ezio Sclavi was finally called into action in the 28th minute when he rushed off his line and dived low at Natale Masera's feet to dispossess him.
Then it was Lazio again with efforts by lively Castelli, Bisigato who had a goal disallowed for offside and Alejandro Demaria just wide after a one-two with Castelli. Lazio ended the half on the attack but the score at halftime remained Lazio 1 Pro Patria 0.
A well-deserved lead for Lazio so far.
The second half started with Lazio on the front foot with Fantoni II having a powerful shot saved by Colombo. Lazio however were soon reduced to ten men when Marino Furlani took a knock to his liver and could not continue. Lazio reshuffled the team with Odoacre Pardini going to full-back and Fantoni I dropping deeper into midfield
With the extra man the Bustesi took courage and came out of their shell. Sclavi had to save from Masera and then superbly on an Agosteo header following a corner.
Lazio reacted with efforts by Filó Guarisi over the bar and a header by De Maria brilliantly saved by Colombo.
In the 59th minute Furlani was able to come back on. The game however was now more balanced and the Bustesi also had the strong wind behind them now. Sclavi was kept on his toes by the Tigrotti forwards, interrupted in the 61st minute by a Castelli shot off target.
In the 68th minute the Biancoblu's more positive approach paid off. An assist by Benedetto Stella was slotted in by Italo Rossi for the equaliser. Lazio 1 Pro Patria 1.
From this point the game could have gone either way. Colombo saved a dangerous Fantoni II shot, Rossi had a goal cancelled out for a clear offside and Stella had a cracking low effort saved well by Sclavi.
This last effort by the visitors came with ten minutes to go and Lazio then scored on the counterattack. Sclavi parried and Bisigato charged forward and despite being energetically challenged got the ball to Castelli who saw Fantoni running forward on the right, he got the pass just right and 'Ninão' beat Colombo. Lazio 2 Pro Patria 1.
The lead galvanised Lazio who could have made it three several times but were denied by Colombo. Then in the 89th minute it was Pro Patria who went close but following a free kick, Stella's header was kept out by a formidable Sclavi save. The last chance of the game was again for Lazio with Bisigato, but the Biancocelesti were more than pleased to hear the final whistle seconds later. Final score Lazio 2 Pro Patria 1.
Lazio won with merit against a battling Pro Patria, an important win for the Eagles to keep the relegation zone at a safe distance.
Who played for Lazio
Sclavi, Bertagni, Furlani, Serafini, Pardini, Fantoni II, Guarisi, Fantoni I, Bisigato, Castelli, Demaria
Manager: Stürmer
Who played for Pro Patria
Colombo, Agosteo, Monza II, Borsani, Dusi, Arnoldi, Conti, Rossi I, Masera, Stella, Mara
Manager: Conti
Referee: Mastellari
Goals: 4' Fantoni II, 68' Rossi, 81' Fantoni I
What happened next
Lazio finished 10th again. The Biancocelesti won 12 (including Juventus 1-0, Milan 2-0, Alessandria 6-0 all at home and Pro Patria 3-2 away), 9 draws and 13 defeats (including the return derby 1-3). Top scorer was Fantoni I with 10 league goals.
Pro Patria were relegated despite changing managers halfway through the season from Conti to Hungarian Pál Szalay. The Bustocchi won 8, drew 5 (including Roma 1-1 away) and lost 21 (including Lazio 2-3 at home). Their top scorer was Italo Rossi with 10 league goals.
Serie A was won by Juventus for their 5th title. Pro Patria's travelling buddies down to B level were Bari.
Lazio 1932-33
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 42 |
Top appearances
Player | Appearances Serie A |
Serafini | 33 |
Sclavi | 31 |
Fantoni I | 30 |
Bertagni | 30 |
Top 5 goal scorers
Player | Goals Serie A |
Fantoni I | 10 |
Demaria | 7 |
Guarisi | 6 |
Bisigato | 6 |
Pastore | 5 |
Let's talk about Octavio Fantoni II
Octavio Fantoni was born in Belo Horizonte, on April 4, 1907.
In Brazil he was known as Nininho while in Italy he became Ottavio. He was known as Fantoni II because he had three cousins who were also footballers.
In Brazil he played for Palestra Itália (the club now owned by Ronaldo). He won two Mineiro titles with "A Raposa" (The Fox) and in 1930 he was signed by Lazio along with one of his cousins, Joāo Fantoni I.
In Rome he immediately made it into the first team squad. In 1930-31 the manager was first Ferenc Molnár, then Cesare Migliorini and finally Amílcar. Lazio finished 8th and Ottavio played 10 league games. Lazio's best results were beating Ambrosiana Inter 1-0 and Juventus 2-1 both at home while both derbies ended up in draws.
In 1931-32 Lazio finished 13th under player-manager Amílcar. Ottavio played more regularly making 28 league appearances with 2 goals (Triestina and the winner against Fiorentina). Lazio's best result was a 2-1 away win at Juventus while both derbies were lost.
In 1932-33 the manager was Austrian Karl Stürmer and Lazio finished 10th. Ottavio played 26 league games with 1 goal (Pro Patria). He was also joined by another of the cousins, Leonízio Fantoni III. Lazio’s best results were beating Inter 2-1 in Milan, the first derby 2-1, Alessandria 6-0, Juventus 1-0 and Milan 2-0 all at home.
In 1933-34 Stürmer stayed on and Lazio came in 10th again. Ottavio Played 31 league games with 1 goal (Casale in 2-1 win). The highlight was a 4-0 home win over Milan while Lazio lost the first derby and drew the second 3-3 after being 0-3 down.
In 1934-35 Czech manager Walter Alt arrived at Lazio. A certain Silvio Piola also arrived from Pro Vercelli. It would however be a tragic year for Lazio and Ottavio Fantoni in particular. On January 20, in a home game against Torino, he wounded his nose. He was forced off but came back on five minutes later and even contributed to Silvio Piola's equaliser. It did not seem anything too serious but then it got infected and he was hospitalised with a high fever and a knee full of pus; two weeks later he was dead. An awful tragedy. He was only 27 and left two daughters of eight and seven who had already lost their mother.
In his last tragic season Ottavio had played 13 league games with 1 goal (Fiorentina). Lazio finished a positive 5th beating Juventus 5-3 and drawing both derbies.
Fantoni's premature death is one of many sad stories in Lazio's history.
Ottavio Fantoni also played for Italy thanks to his Tuscan origins (his parents were from Arezzo). He won one cap against Greece, on March 24,1934, in a 4-0 victory.
The Fantoni legacy is an important one at Lazio. Ottavio played 108 games with 5 goals, Joāo 113 with 38 goals, Leonízio 25 with 9 goals and some years later Orlando 8 with 2 goals.
Ottavio Fantoni was an extremely popular player at Lazio. He was a midfielder who combined quantity and quality. He was elegant, technical but also incredibly hard working. The fans loved him for his fighting spirit.
Lazio Career
Season | Serie A Appearances (goals) |
1930-31 | 10 |
1931-32 | 28 (2) |
1932-33 | 26 (1) |
1933-34 | 31 (1) |
1934-35 | 13 (1) |
Total | 108 (5) |
Sources