Citterio straightens things out in Pisa

Dag Jenkins
May 17, 2024
3 min read

Updated: May 25

Season 1980-81

Game 33, Serie B

Sunday, May 17, 1981

Stadio Arena Garibaldi, Pisa Pisa-Lazio 1-1

A goal by the Lazio defender five minutes from time gives the Romans a useful point

Lazio had promotion ambitions and had started well with 7 wins and 8 draws in the first 15 games but then slowed down. In the next 17 games the Biancocelesti had won 5 (including the recent 2-0 home win against Monza), drawn 8 and lost 4. Lazio were currently 3rd on 40 points, two points ahead of 4th placed Genoa.

Pisa were having a decent season and were currently joint 7th with Catania on 32 points. The Nerazzurri had won 8, drawn 16 and lost 8 (including Lazio 1-2). They had only lost 1 home game all season (Milan 0-1).

Not an easy game for Lazio today against a solid upper-mid table side with no relegation or promotion stress.

The match

A sunny day in Pisa saw just under 20,000 presents in the little ground not far from the leaning tower. Several thousand had made the three-hour trip from Rome and there were some clashes between the opposing fans. One Pisa fan even lost a hand when a homemade cherry bomb went off before he could throw it.

On the field Lazio were without midfielder Dario Sanguin while Pisa were missing midfielder Luca Bartolini

Lazio started better than the hosts. In the 10th minute the Biancocelesti thought they should have had a penalty when Giorgio Mastropasqua was pulled down in the area but the referee had other ideas.

Lazio then had dangerous shots by Filippo Citterio and Fernando Viola well saved by Alessandro Mannini. Lazio were the superior side while Pisa only potential threats came from Alessandro Bertoni but he was too isolated up front. Half time came with Lazio having nothing to show for their positive performance, 0-0 at the break.

Things changed in the second half. The Nerazzurri were more determined and sharper. In the 57th minute their changed attitude paid off and they took the lead. Odoacre Chierico fed Bertoni who turned and blasted an excellent shot which hit the inside of the post and went in, to Dario Marigo's right. Pisa 1 Lazio 0.

Lazio tried to stir but Pisa were now playing better. In the 66th minute the Biancocelesti tried to change things a bit up front by replacing Giuseppe Greco with Stefano Chiodi.

More substitutions followed; in the 76th minute Leonardo Occhipinti came on for Luigi Gozzoli for Pisa and two minutes later changed Dario Pighin with youngster Claudio Simoni.

Lazio attacked but it was Pisa who went closest with Occhipinti and then Federico Rossi.

In the 84th minute the hosts took off the current match winner Bertoni and brought on another forward Giovanni Quadri.

A minute later Lazio equalised. Citterio won a challenge about 30 metres out and then the move continued confusedly with a hesitant defence unable to clear and the ball somehow reached Citterio in front of goal where he had no problem beating Mannini with a low left foot. A little fortuitous but Pisa 1 Lazio 1.

At this point both sides seemed to settle for the point and the game ended 1-1.

A fair draw in the end. Lazio had deserved more in the first 45 minutes but the Pisani had been in control after the break. All in all, a good away point for Lazio.

The Biancocelesti were still 3rd with the two-point advantage on 4th placed Genoa. The big match between the top two Milan and Cesena had ended goalless, Genoa had drawn 0-0 at Verona while 5th placed Sampdoria had lost 2-3 at home to Rimini. Satisfactory results and one less game to go.

Pisa were now 8th as Catania had beaten Bari 1-0 at home.

Who played for Pisa

Mannini, Rossi, Massimi, Vianello, Garuti, Gozzoli (76' Occhipinti), Viganò, Chierico, A. Bertoni (84' Quadri), V. Graziani, Cantarutti

Substitutes: Buso, Secondini, Tuttino

Manager: Toneatto

Who played for Lazio

Marigo, Spinozzi, Pighin (78' Simoni), Perrone, Pochesci, Citterio, Viola, Bigon, Garlaschelli, Mastropasqua, Greco (66' Chiodi)