Lucky but convincing

Simon Basten

Sep 8, 2022

3 min read

Season 1971-72

Game 3, Group Stage, Coppa Italia

Wednesday, September 8, 1971

Stadio Santa Giuliana, Perugia

Perugia Lazio 1-3

Lazio beat Perugia 3-1 to move closer to Coppa Italia qualification

Today was the third official game of the season, the Coppa Italia group stage. Lazio had been drawn with Roma, Atalanta, Perugia and Ternana. They had won the derby and drawn at Bergamo. The Biancocelesti had three points in two games as did Perugia, Atalanta had 1 point and had played two, Ternana 1 but had played one and Roma were on zero having only played the game against Lazio. A win today in Perugia would almost secure qualification.

The match

Lazio continued their excellent start to the season with a 3-1 victory over Perugia, although the scoreline perhaps flattered Tommaso Maestrelli's side. The Biancocelesti benefited from some favourable circumstances, particularly after Perugia were reduced to ten men, but they also showed considerable strength and organisation to come away with an important victory.

Perugia started aggressively, putting Lazio under pressure during the opening ten minutes. The visitors, however, responded with a cleverly worked set piece. A free kick from deep was taken quickly, with Costantino Fava finding Franco Nanni on the left. His shot forced the goalkeeper to come out, but Giorgio Chinaglia followed up brilliantly, leaving his marker behind and turning the rebound into the net to give Lazio the lead.

The rest of the first half was relatively uneventful. Perugia struggled to find a way through a well-organised Lazio defence, while Maestrelli's team showed that they were capable of playing without the injured Giuseppe Massa. Pierpaolo Manservisi frequently dropped deeper to help the midfield, while Fortunato provided an important attacking contribution.

The game came to life after the interval. Perugia coach Guido Mazzetti used both of his permitted substitutions, bringing on Nicola Martellossi and Gianni Facchinello and allowing Carlo Volpi to move further forward. The changes immediately paid dividends. Perugia increased the pressure and, after 15 minutes, equalised. Volpi combined with Traini creating the space for his team-mate, who finished with an excellent strike.

The match appeared to have been reset, but the turning point came shortly afterwards. A long ball created a scramble involving Chinaglia, Facchinello and Perugia defender Eddo Cartet. There was an exchange between Chinaglia and Facchinello, and the referee judged the Perugia player to have committed the more serious offence, sending him off.

With Perugia down to ten men, Mazzetti made a bold decision: he abandoned the use of a sweeper in search of the victory his team needed. It left enormous spaces behind the defence, and Lazio quickly took advantage.

Perugia still had opportunities. Volpi headed narrowly over in the 71st minute, but moments later Manservisi broke down the left and, with virtually nobody between him and the goalkeeper, calmly finished to restore Lazio's lead.

The decisive goal came in the 79th minute. A failed clearance fell kindly to Chinaglia, who raced clear and finished his solo run without difficulty to make it 3-1. It was his second goal of the afternoon and particularly significant given that he had reportedly been doubtful even to play.

Lazio could even have added a fourth, while Perugia also missed another opportunity before Chinaglia was substituted by Arrigo Dolso. The final score therefore gave Maestrelli's team a comfortable victory, although the circumstances behind it meant that the result should not be taken as definitive proof of Lazio's superiority.

There was still work to do, particularly defensively, where Lazio's aggressive approach occasionally brought them close to disciplinary trouble. The home crowd was furious with Facchinello's dismissal, especially given the number of fouls committed by both sides.

But ultimately the result was what mattered. Lazio had beaten their main rivals for qualification and moved to within touching distance of the next round. And if there was an element of luck involved, Maestrelli would surely have accepted it: sometimes fortune is simply another reward for being in the right place at the right time.

Who played for Perugia

Grosso, Casati, Vanara, Volpi, Carlet, Mazzia, Innocenti (46' Martelossi), Traini, Urban, Tinaglia, Colausig (46' Facchinello)

Substitutes: Vecchione, Marcucci, Agretti

Manager: Mazzetti

Who played for Lazio

Bandoni, Facco, Legnaro, Wilson, Papadopulo, Martini, Manservisi, Fortunato, Chinaglia (76' Dolso), Nanni, Fava