Almost there

Simon Basten
Jun 12, 2024
2 min read

Season 1987-88

Game 37, Serie B

Sunday, June 12, 1988

Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma

Parma Lazio 1-1

Lazio draw at Parma and need to win their last game to secure promotion

There were just two games left. Bologna were already in Serie A with 49 points, Lecce, on 46 needed just a point, Atalanta were on 45 and Lazio on 44, two points ahead of Catanzaro. A win today would mean Serie A especially if Catanzaro did not beat Atalanta.

The match

This could have been the day all Lazio fans had been waiting for the past three years. Three very difficult seasons in Serie B. A disastrous first one with terrible financial problems resulted in narrowly avoiding relegation. A second started with a nine-point deduction and ended in a playoff.

There were 15,000 spectators present today, 10,000 were Biancoceleste fans who had arrived from all over Italy in the hope of a final triumph.

But in the first half both teams played it safe. It was also important not to lose, so strong man-to-man marking. Consequently, nothing happened.

At half time, Catanzaro were beating Atalanta, Messina and Lecce were still 0-0. Hence, Lecce were on 47 points, Lazio and Atalanta on 45, Catanzaro on 44.

In the 50th minute Antonio Rizzolo found a gap between three Parma defenders and put Lazio in the lead. And it could have been 2-0 in the 63rd minute when first Rizzolo and then Paolo Beruatto hit the crossbar off a corner kick. Parma were dangerous in the 78th minute when a defensive error gave Roberto Di Nicola a sitter which he missed.

Lazio were one point away from Serie A but in the 84th minute the hosts equalised. Daniele Pasa took a long throw-in, Davide Zanoni headed the ball towards the centre of the box and Di Nicola with a spectacular bicycle kick made it 1-1. Parma almost went ahead just before the end of the game when Marco Osio missed an easy chance.

It finished in a draw. Catanzaro won and were just a point behind the Biancocelesti and Atalanta while Lecce and Bologna were already in Serie A. One game to go, Lazio needed to beat Taranto at the Olimpico the following Sunday to secure promotion.

Who played for Parma

M. Ferrari, Gambaro, Apolloni, Fiorin, Minotti, Pullo, Turrini, Di Già (57' Pasa), A. Melli (59' Di Nicola), Zannoni, Osio

Substitutes: Bonati, Rivolta, Sala

Manager: Vitali

Who played for Lazio

Martina, Marino, Beruatto, Pin, Piscedda, Esposito, Savino, Acerbis (73’ Camolese), Rizzolo (89’ Brunetti), Caso, Monelli