November 14, 1926: Foggia Lazio 1-2
Lazio hold firm to beat Foggia
Fraschetti and Filippi struck for Lazio in a hard-fought encounter, while Foggia missed a penalty before pulling a goal back. The Biancocelesti survived a late onslaught to secure a narrow victory.
The season so far
The previous season had seen Lazio not do well, arriving third in the National Division Lazio regional group which meant that in the newly reformed format, they would play the current year in the first division, a second tier. In order to be promoted they had to win their group made up of Ideale and Liberty Bari, Bagnolese, Casertana, Pro Italia, Foggia, Audace, Roman and Palermo.
For this year they would not have the services of Fulvio Bernardini who had gone to Inter, Ugo Dosio, who had to work, Quinto Rosso, who had finished his military service and had gone back north, and Bruno Finesi. But Ezio Sclavi had returned following his not so positive experience with Juventus and coming into the team was also Riccardo Okely III joining his brother Giorgio. New player manager was Hungarian Jenő Löwy.
Lazio were currently second in the Group D of the First Division behind Casertana. They had won four and lost one.
The match: Sunday, November 14, 1926, Campo Comunale, Foggia
Lazio travelled to Foggia for a difficult encounter against a determined home side, and the match proved to be a stern test of their defensive resilience. The hosts enjoyed plenty of attacking possession, but the Biancocelesti made the most of their opportunities to claim a valuable win.
Foggia began against the sun and took the initiative, while Lazio looked to break forward through Dante Filippi and Aldo Fraschetti. Renato Sarti III was called into action to deal with Filippi's attempt, and the match initially developed into a midfield battle. As the first half progressed, however, Foggia began to threaten more regularly, with Nello Sticco and Giosuè Poli trying their luck from distance.
Lazio's defence was kept busy. Umberto Zannelli cleared a dangerous attack involving Riolo, while goalkeeper Ezio Sclavi made several important saves to deny the home forwards.
Foggia continued to press, but their finishing let them down, and a series of attacks failed to produce the breakthrough. Lazio, meanwhile, looked dangerous when Lindo Galli and Filippi combined, although the Foggia defence managed to keep them at bay.
The visitors eventually found the net through Fraschetti. The Lazio forward broke forward and combined with Galli before finishing an incisive move, catching the home side by surprise. It was a swift and unexpected breakthrough after a period in which Foggia had enjoyed much of the initiative.
Lazio carried their advantage into the second half, but Foggia immediately resumed their attacking efforts. Edmondo Della Valle intercepted a pass intended for Filippi and sent the ball forward to Poli, while Luigi Saraceni II intervened to clear the danger. Sclavi also produced a fine save to keep out another attempt from Poli.
Lazio then struck again. Fraschetti made progress down the right and, after exchanging passes with Galli, helped create the opening for Filippi to finish and extend the visitors' lead. The goal gave the Biancocelesti a precious cushion, but Foggia refused to surrender.
The home side continued to attack, and their persistence soon brought a golden opportunity to get back into the match.
After a scramble in front of Sclavi, the Lazio goalkeeper held onto the ball for too long, prompting the referee to award an indirect free kick. The resulting effort struck a Lazio defender's hand, and Foggia were awarded a penalty. Babay stepped up, but his shot sailed over the crossbar. It was a costly miss that denied the hosts the chance to reduce the deficit.
Foggia responded with renewed determination. Riolo, Poll and Sticco combined in a series of attacks, forcing Lazio's defenders Saraceni II and Zannelli to intervene repeatedly. Riolo then drove forward and supplied Poli, who finished with a powerful shot to bring Foggia back into the contest.
The closing stages were tense as Foggia threw themselves forward in search of an equaliser. Silceo, Poll and Riolo all tried their luck, but their efforts either failed to find the target or were dealt with by Sclavi. Lazio were forced to retreat and defend deep, yet they held firm until the final whistle.
It was a hard-earned victory for the Biancocelesti. Foggia had enjoyed long spells of pressure and could point to the missed penalty as a turning point, but Lazio's finishing and resilience proved decisive. Fraschetti and Filippi supplied the goals, while Sclavi and the defence played a crucial role in preserving the result.
Who played for Foggia
Sarti III, Camero, Casale, Della Valle, Babay, Di Luzio, Sarti II, Riolo, Poli, Sticco, Visentini
Who played for Lazio
Referee: De Rensis
Goals: in the second half: Fraschetti, Filippi, Poli
What happened next
Lazio topped their group with a single point over Liberty Bari. They had won 15 games and lost three. They then played a final group phase of no significance with the winners of the other groups, Novara, Pro Patria and Reggiana.
They were not particularly interested in the outcome since the objective of winning their group had been reached and promotion was secured.
Luigi Saraceni, Ezio Sclavi, Jenő Löwy and Umberto Zannelli had been the players with most appearances (23) and Dante Filippi the top scorer with 11 goals.
Let’s talk about Umberto Zannelli
Umberto Zannelli was an Italian defender who played for Lazio during the second half of the 1920s, contributing to the club's campaign to return to the top level of Italian football. He was born in 1900 and died on 30 August 1975.
Zannelli began his football career with Juventus Roma, where he developed before moving to Juventus Audax in 1919.
He spent four seasons with the club before joining Fortitudo in 1923, one of the leading teams in Roman football at the time. His performances earned him a move to Lazio in 1925.
Zannelli played for the Biancocelesti from 1925 to 1928, making 33 appearances in league competitions. He arrived at a significant moment in the club's history, as Lazio were seeking to establish themselves among Italy's leading sides following the reorganisation of the national championship.
The 1926-27 season was particularly important. Lazio competed in the First Division, then the second tier of Italian football, and needed to win their group to secure promotion. They achieved that objective, finishing ahead of Liberty Bari by a single point. Zannelli was a regular member of the defence and played in every match of the campaign, helping the team win 17 of their 24 fixtures.
Lazio's promotion campaign laid the foundations for their return to the top flight, and Zannelli was part of the group that helped the club navigate a demanding competition against opponents from across Italy. Although his career at the highest level was relatively brief, his contribution came during a formative period in Lazio's development.
Zannelli remains part of the club's early history, representing the generation of players who helped Lazio re-establish themselves in the national championship during the late 1920s.
Lazio Career
Season | Total | First Division | National Division's First Division | National DIvision |
1925-26 | 7 | 7 | - | - |
1926-27 | 23 | - | 23 | - |
1927-28 | 3 | - | - | 3 |
Total | 33 | 7 | 23 | 3 |
Sources
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