October 24, 1948: Lazio Atalanta 1-1
- Simon Basten
- Oct 24
- 5 min read
Lazio Fight Back After Controversial Atalanta Goal
Cecconi strikes in dubious circumstances, but Alzani rescues a draw for the Biancocelesti
Also on this day:
The season so far
In the summer Lazio had signed forward Ferenc Nyers and said goodbye to Alessandro Ferri, Flavio Cecconi and Corrado Giubilo. But the economic crisis had hit national football big time, therefore also Lazio. The Italian Football League introduced a minimum wage and the players threatened to strike. The more active unionists at Lazio were Uber Gradella, Leandro Remondini, Sergio Piacentini, Romano Penzo and Aldo Puccinelli who refused to train and play. In the end, a compromise was found just before the start of the first game, but this had distracted the players and the Biancocelesti had started the season really badly. Just two draws in the first five games and Lazio were second from last. A win was really needed.
The match: Sunday, October 24, 1948, Stadio Nazionale, Rome
For more than half an hour Atalanta controlled the tempo, pinning Lazio back with a series of quick, dangerous moves. The Biancocelesti, blunt in attack, struggled to respond and rarely threatened. Former Lazio man Flavio Cecconi was the key figure for the Nerazzurri, constantly involved in their play.
Lazio’s only real chance in the early stages came in the 9th minute: Giuseppe D’Avino broke through on the counter and, despite the close marking of Luigi Bertoli, struck the post of Giuseppe Casari’s goal.
Atalanta, dominant up to that point, broke the deadlock in controversial fashion just two minutes later. Tullio Zuppet played a ball through to Cecconi, who was clearly in an offside position. The Lazio defenders raised their arms and stopped, waiting for the whistle. Even Cecconi hesitated, but the referee let the play go on, and the forward calmly slotted past Marco Brandolin. Lazio’s furious protests changed nothing.
That was the spark Lazio needed. They pushed higher and began to dictate the game themselves. D’Avino forced a handball from Bruno Gremese II in the box, but the referee waved it away. Moments later, Mario Astorri hit the post as Lazio piled on the pressure. From then on, Atalanta were forced to retreat, clinging to their narrow lead. Cecconi faded as the match wore on, and with him Atalanta’s attacking structure.
The equaliser finally came three minutes into the second half. D’Avino tested Casari with a shot that the keeper couldn’t hold; in the scramble that followed, the ball spilled to Romolo Alzani, who drove it into the net from the edge of the box.
From then until the final whistle it was all Lazio, wave after wave of attacks, though not always with composure. Atalanta dug in and defended desperately, and in the end the 1–1 draw stood.
Who played for Lazio
Brandolin, Antonazzi, Piacentini, Gualtieri, Todeschini, Alzani, Puccinelli, Magrini, D’Avino, Tavellin, De Andreis
Manager: Tognotti
Who played for Atalanta
Casari, Dalmonte, Citterio, Mari, Bertoli, Gremese II, Astorri, Migliori, Zuppet, Cecconi, Randon
Manager: Fiorentini
Referee: Boffardi
Goals: 11’ Cecconi, 48’ Alzani
What happened next
Lazio collected only 4 points in the first ten games. Then they beat Bologna 8-2 and it was all smiles again. Well, not really. At the end of the first half of the season Lazio were 17th just two points more than Novara who were last.
At the end of January Remo Zenobi returned as president of the club and with him he brought Norbert Hofling, exactly the centre forward Lazio desperately needed. And with him the Biancocelesti did considerably better: seven wins in the second half of the season with two spectacular 5-1’s against Palermo and Genoa and one away win against Pro Patria. At the end of the season Lazio arrived 13th. Piacentini and Puccinelli had the most appearances (38) and Penzo the most goals (12).
The season ending was however tragic for Italian football. The great Torino who had won 5 consecutive scudetto's between 1942-43 and 1948-49 died in an air crash on May 4, 1949. Returning from a friendly against Benfica in Lisbon, the plane carrying the whole team crashed into the wall at the back of the Basilica of Superga which is on a hill near Turin. All 31 people on the flight died. These included the players, coaching staff, a few journalists and the flight crew.
Tommaso Maestrelli was supposed to be on that plane. Despite the fact that he was playing for Roma at the time, he had been invited by Valentino Mazzola, Ferruccio Mazzola’s father, to join the team for the friendly match. Maestrelli did not make it because he was unable to renew his passport in time.
A great tragedy for Italian football. The Torino team was the backbone of the Nazionale and Valentino Mazzola was Italy's best player.
Let’s talk about Romolo Alzani
Romolo Alzani was one of the most important players ever to have worn the Lazio jersey. Part of Lazio’s defensive backbone from the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s, he stayed with Lazio for ten years. Faithful, dedicated with a strong sense of belonging, despite his “wrong” origins. He was nicknamed “la diga” (the dam).
Alzani was born in Rome on March 6 1921. He began playing football in the youth teams of Alba, one of the clubs that later merged to become AS Roma. In 1938 he joined Rimini in Serie C and a year later he signed for Roma but only played one game. In 1941 he joined Tirrenia (later renamed Gruppo Sportivo Ala Italiana) again in Serie C and on the outbreak of World War II he played in the Roman War Championship.
He signed for Lazio in 1945 following a recommendation from Fulvio Bernardini. Along with the Sentimenti brothers (III and IV), Antonazzi, Furiassi and Malacarne he formed the Lazio defence for a decade. To score against Lazio in those years was by no means easy. He was very useful and could cover different roles. He stayed until 1955.
He played his last professional year in 1955-56 with Foligno. After he stopped playing he became a manager and joined the Italian Football Federation. He was head trainer of a number of semi professional national teams and from the end of the 1960s to 1986 he was selector of the Italian National Amateur League.
He died in Rome on October 3, 2002.
He played 269 times for Lazio, 246 in Serie A, 21 in the Centre-South Serie A-B Championship of 1945-46 and post competition, 2 in Mitropa Cup, and scored 7 goals.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Centre- South Serie A-B Champ. | Post Centre South Serie A-B Champ. | Mitropa Cup |
1945-46 | 21 (1) | - | 17 (1) | 4 | - |
1946-47 | 27 (1) | 27 (1) | - | - | - |
1947-48 | 38 | 38 | - | - | - |
1948-49 | 33 (2) | 33 (2) | - | - | - |
1949-50 | 33 | 33 | - | - | - |
1950-51 | 38 (1) | 36 (1) | - | - | 2 |
1951-52 | 37 (1) | 37 (1) | - | - | - |
1952-53 | 27 (1) | 27 (1) | - | - | - |
1953-54 | 13 | 13 | - | - | - |
1954-55 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - |
Total | 269 (7) | 246 (6) | 17 (1) | 4 | 2 |
Sources
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