October 3, 1982: Sambenedettese-Lazio 0-1
- Dag Jenkins
- Oct 3
- 8 min read
Manfredonia conquers San Benedetto
A goal by the Roman is enough to clinch important away points
Also on this day:
The season so far
Lazio in their third consecutive year in Serie B, after the betting scandal and relegation of 1979-80, had renewed ambitions this year. The previous season had been a depressingly mediocre 11th place but with the return of striker Bruno Giordano and midfielder Lionello Manfredonia (after the world Cup win armistice) they could finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.
The main players who had joined Lazio were goalkeeper Fernando Orsi (Parma), defenders Renato Miele (Catania), Gabriele Podavini (Brescia) and Marco Saltarelli (Lodigiani), midfielders Enrico Vella (Catania) and Roberto Tavola (Juventus- on loan) plus forward Claudio Ambu (Perugia).
Players to leave were the scudetto legends of 1974, keeper Felice Pulici and attacking winger Renzo Garlaschelli plus defenders Giorgio Mastropasqua (Catania), Dario Pighin (Taranto), midfielders Alberto Bigon (Vicenza), Dario Sanguin (Perugia), Fernando Viola (Genoa) and forwards Lorenzo Marronaro (Monza) and Walter Speggiorin (Massese).
This reshuffling of the squad plus the return of clearly superior level players such as Giordano and Manfredonia, added to the talent of fan favourite Vincenzo D'Amico, gave the whole Lazio environment renewed enthusiasm and optimism.
Roberto Clagluna, who had taken over from Ilario Castagner half way through the previous season, had been confirmed.
The start had been slow with three draws so far (Campobasso 0-0 at home on debut, Como 0-0 away and Monza 1-1 at home). Not a great start and Lazio's only goal had come on a penalty.
In the Coppa Italia, played in August-September, Lazio were out after 2 wins (Perugia 3-2 at home and Salernitana 3-2 away), 1 draw (Atalanta 0-0 at home) and 2 defeats (Avellino 1-2 away and Napoli 1-2 at home). The priority however was promotion.
Sambenedettese had finished 8th the previous season under Nedo Sonetti. The "Samba" had won 11, drawn 16 (including Lazio 0-0 at home and 1-1 away) and lost 11. The top scorer was Franco Caccia with 7 league goals.
This season Sonetti was still in charge. The new signings included goalkeeper Vincenzo Minguzzi (Modena), defenders Daniele Catto (Venezia), Guglielmo Ferrante (Taranto), Franco Ipsaro Passione (Verona), midfielders Augusto Gentilini (Pescara), Alberto Minoia (Milan) plus forwards Luciano Adami (Brescia-on loan), Giorgio Lunerti (Turris) and Massimo Silva (Pescara).
Leaving Samb were: goalkeeper Walter Zenga (Inter - end of loan), defenders Antonio Bogoni (Cagliari and later at Ascoli to cross Bruno Giordano's path...), Maurizio Cavazzini (Modena), Franco Falcetta (Taranto), midfielders Giorgio Ferrara (Giulianova), Massimo Pedrazzini (Triestina). Italo Schiavi would soon leave for Avellino in Serie A.
So far, in Serie B the Marchigiani had won 1 (Palermo 2-1 at home), drawn 1 (Milan 2-2 away on debut) and lost 1 (Cremonese 0-2 away).
In the Coppa Italia, Sambenedettese were out after 1 win (Arezzo 1-0 at home), 3 draws (Cesena 0-0 and Cremonese 1-1 at home and Paganese 0-0 away) and 1 defeat (Catanzaro 1-2 away).
A difficult game for struggling Lazio today against a solid mid-table side.
The match: Sunday, October 3, 1982, Stadio Fratelli Ballarin, San Benedetto del Tronto
A crowd of just over 6,000 turned up in the small seaside town of San Benedetto.
Sambenedettese were without defenders Daniele Catto and Guglielmo Ferrante, midfielder Michele Colasanto and forward Luciano Adami.
Lazio had promoted reserve keeper Fernando Orsi between the posts and had recent signing Renato Miele at centre-back. The Biancocelesti had no real absences.
The game started with lots of action. In the 1st minute Claudio Ambu had a crack from outside the box but was just off target, shaving the post. In the 2nd minute Bruno Ranieri set up Fabiano Speggiorin in the area but his effort was high. In the 13th minute Massimo Silva eluded Miele but his shot went across the goal mouth and out the other side.
After a lively start the home side then went quiet and Lazio took control of the proceedings. In the 31st minute Maurizio Montesi hit the post on a freekick and in the 34th minute Bruno Giordano headed straight into the keeper's arms from an Enrico Vella cross.
The hosts reared their heads in the 35th minute when Silva after a lucky ricochet had a shot from close range but debutant Orsi showed off excellent reflexes.
In the 42nd minute the Biancocelesti took the lead. On a corner by Vella, the keeper stumbled coming off his line and Lionello Manfredonia headed the ball in, 0-1.
For the second half the "Samba" brought on forward Santo Perrotta for midfielder Augusto Gentilini.
The home side were then expected to attack furiously to at least earn a point but their approach to the second half was lame. Lazio controlled the midfield and rarely ran any risks at the back.
The Rossoblu tried throwing on forward Giorgio Lunerti for Speggiorin in the 66th minute while Lazio responded ten minutes later replacing Ambu with Vincenzo D'Amico, favouring control of the ball over counterattack.
The Marchigiani's onslaught only came in the final minutes. Their biggest chance came with Perrotta who looked sure to score from only a few metres out but Orsi again jumped like a spring and got a hand to the ball. The Samb forward had a suitable name but would have to wait a little longer to be canonised. Final score Sambenedettese 0 Lazio 1.
All in all, a deserved win for Lazio who had got the all-important goal, then defended efficiently and were only made to sweat a bit more in the last 7-8 minutes.
An important win too. San Benedetto was a difficult place to come and the two points pushed Lazio up to joint 2nd on 5 points (with three other teams) and only one point behind the four front-runners on 6 points.
Who played for Sambenedettese
Minguzzi, Ipsaro Passione, Petrangeli, Schiavi, Cagni, Rossinelli, Gentilini (46' Perrotta), B.Ranieri, Silva, F.Speggiorin (66' Lunerti), Caccia
Substitutes: Coccia, Minoia, D'Angelo
Manager: Sonetti
Who played for Lazio
Orsi, Podavini, Saltarelli, Vella, Miele, Manfredonia, Ambu (77' D'Amico), Montesi, Giordano, Badiani, Surro
Substitutes: Moscatelli, Pochesci, Perrone, Tavola
Manager: Clagluna
Referee: D'Elia
Goal: 41' Manfredonia
What happened next
Lazio then continued to improve and between the 7th and 13th fixtures won seven games in a row (without conceding a goal). They however struggled in the second half of the season and after the 33rd fixture replaced Clagluna with former player Juan Carlos Morrone. His first game was a 1-5 away defeat to Milan (on the same day Roma won the Scudetto…) but then crucial wins at home against Atalanta and Catania put Lazio back on course. In the end they had enough talent to get them over the line and win promotion with a 2nd place finish on 46 points, one point more than a trio on 45.
Despite Roma's triumph things were looking up especially with the confirmed return of "Long John" Chinaglia from the States as new President, but that's another story.
Bruno Giordano ended up as top Serie B scorer with 18 goals. Milan came top and were followed up by Lazio and Catania (after a three-team playoff with Como and Cremonese).
Sambenedettese finished a positive 8th again. The Rossoblu then won 9, drew 16 (including Lazio 1-1 away) and lost 9. The top scorer was Adami with 7 league goals (Samb only scored 32 in 38 games).
Let's talk about Italo Schiavi
Italo Schiavi was signed by Lazio but never played for the Biancocelesti.
He was born in Colle del Tronto (Ascoli Piceno) on May 26, 1959.
His youth football was played with nearby Sambenedettese and in 1978 he joined the first team squad.
He played with the Rossoblu for four seasons, three in B and one in C. Samb finished 9th, 17th (relegated to C), 1st (promoted to B) and 8th. He played 71 league games with 5 goals. His managers were: Nicola Tribuiani, Lauro Toneatto, Pietro Maroso, Marino Bergamasco and then Nedo Sonetti for two full seasons. His teammates included Lazio connections, Giancarlo Ceccarelli and Massimo Silva plus future top keepers Walter Zenga and Stefano Tacconi.
In the autumn of 1983 he joined Avellino in Serie A. He stayed two seasons and the Irpini finished 9th and 12th. Schiavi played 47 league games with 1 goal (Torino). There were some epic wins; Milan 4-0, Napoli 1-0, Lazio 3-0. The managers were Giuseppe Marchioro and Fernando Veneranda in the first season and Veneranda and Ottavio Bianchi in the second.
In 1984 he signed for Ascoli in Serie A. He played 29 league games but the Bianconeri were relegated, first under Carlo Mazzone and then Mario Colautti (with Vujadin Boškov as T.D). The squad included several Lazio connections: Filippo Citterio, Aldo Cantarutti, Paolo Pochesci and Giuseppe Greco.
In 1985 Schiavi joined Lazio. During the routine medical check-up unfortunately, a cardiac dysfunction was detected and the signing fell through. A tragedy for him and a pity for Lazio as his energy and dynamism would have been useful to Gigi Simoni's side.
Schiavi returned to Ascoli but obviously never played in the 1985-86 season.
He then took a few years out of football. He returned in 1988 playing for amateurs Altidona (Fermo-Le Marche).
In 1989, having resolved his heart irregularities, he went back to Sambenedettese in Serie C1. The Rossoblu were relegated under four different managers (including Bruno Pace and Cané) but Schiavi played 30 league games. He was an athlete again and played alongside former Lazio, Claudio Vagheggi
In 1990-91 he spent a season at Messina in Serie B. The Giallorossi finished 9th under former Lazio Giuseppe Materazzi. Schiavi played 33 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia. His teammates included Lazio connections Ciro Muro and Igor Protti, plus the manager's son and future World Champion, Marco Materazzi.
In 1991 Schiavi took a short ferry ride and joined Reggina in Serie C1. He only played 6 league games under three different managers and the Amaranto finished 9th.
His last club was Monturanese (Fermo) in the fifth tier. He played 10 league games and the Biancazzurri finished 4th in Eccellenza Marche.
Schiavi then retired at 33.
After retiring he had a brief stint as Sambenedettese coach from February 2002 until the end of the season. He paired up with Stefano Colantuono who was still without his full coaching qualifications and the Rossoblu finished 5th in C2 but won promotion via the playoffs.
He then did some scouting for Napoli until 2006 when he returned to Sambenedettese as sporting director.
In 2012 he took over the Ancona youth sector and in 2013 was assistant to the U16s. In 2020 he was involved with scouting for Ancona and in 2023 went back to Sambendettese as a director in the academy.
Schiavi was a midfielder. He was extremely athletic and dynamic, a perpetual runner. After a promising early career with good performances in A with Avellino and Ascoli he was rewarded with a move to Lazio, albeit in B, but unfortunately the strict Italian medical tests blocked his career. Fortunately, he was able to return to professional football some years later but never reached the heights of the early 80's.
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