Lazio block leaders

Dag Jenkins
May 9, 2024
4 min read

Season 1981-82

Game 33, Serie B

Sunday, May 9, 1982

Stadio Arena Garibaldi, Pisa

Pisa-Lazio 1-1

A De Nadai freekick gives battling Lazio a point at Pisa

This season Lazio had got off to a sluggish start with 1 point in the first 3 games but then picked up with 3 consecutive wins. After that they had been inconsistent with 4 wins, 5 draws (including Pisa 2-2) and 5 defeats. The last defeat 0-3 at home to Palermo had cost Castagner his job. The new manager was Roberto Clagluna from the U19s team.

Under Clagluna the Biancocelesti had won 3 (including most recent game 2-1 away at Pescara), drawn 8 (including 4 consecutive 0-0s) and lost 2. They were currently 8th, on 34 points. The A zone however was still only five points away (Verona 3rd on 39) but the C zone was also only seven the other way (Rimini on 27). Lazio were in between, today's game could decide which battle they would join, the promotion, relegation or possibly neither.

Pisa were doing extremely well and were currently joint top of the table with Sampdoria on 40 points. The Nerazzurri had won 11 (including recent 3-1 at home to Palermo), drawn 18 (including Lazio 2-2) and only lost 3.

A very tricky game for Lazio today against Pisa who were flying and had already shown what they were capable of in Rome in December.

The match

A bright and warm day saw about 20,000 spectators gather in the Arena. A good number had come up from Rome due to the relative vicinity of the venue (including myself).

Lazio came to Tuscany without defender Arcadio Spinozzi and midfielder Alberto Bigon.

Pisa had to do without defender Felice Secondini, midfielder Attilio Sorbi and former Lazio forward Enrico Todesco.

There had been some doubts before the game about Lazio's desire to compete today. To defend the sporting fairness of the competition the authorities from the "Enquiry Office" had even sent a lawyer, a certain Mr.Porceddu to check on the proceedings.

It soon became apparent there was no cause for alarm. For two reasons, the first was that the Laziali remembered how hard the Pisani had fought the previous year when they had nothing to play for and Lazio were in the promotion race and the second was that the Lazio manager was actually from Pisa and had no intention of making a "brutta figura" in his hometown.

Therefore the game was hard-fought from the start (possibly even too much).

There was a scuffle between Vincenzo Chiarenza and Alessandro Bertoni that went unnoticed by the referee who was too busy booking other players.

Pisa took the lead relatively early. In the 15th minute Roberto Bergamaschi crossed into the middle where Bertoni headed onto Pasquale Casale who with another header beat Dario Marigo, 1-0.

Pisa's lead was no surprise but what then surprised was Lazio's reaction. The Biancocelesti inspired by a lively Vincenzo D'Amico started to put the hosts in difficulty. Claudio Vagheggi in particular was unstoppable for Fabio Massimi. Lazio attacked and had two penalty appeals; on the first Dario Sanguin possibly exaggerated the contact but the second seemed like a blatant Casale handball.

Pisa went quiet with the exception of a Bertoni volley just wide minutes before halftime.

Pisa led at the break but Lazio were by no means sparring partners.

The second half started with a Vagheggi shot which clipped the crossbar and went over.

In the 56th minute Lazio equalised. On a freekick from the edge of the box Sanguin touched to Michele De Nadai who drilled a low shot into the corner, 1-1. An excellent strike and under the Lazio fans' end.

Pisa at this point pushed forward to try and clinch two important promotion points. They had two real chances, a crossbar by Bergamaschi and an acrobatic shot by Bertoni well saved by Marigo.

The game then became tense with a lot of stops and starts for fouls and complaints. Pisa made two changes: Ferruccio Mariani for Luca Birigozzi (74') and Filiberto Giannaccini for Walter Viganò (86') while Lazio replaced Leonardo Surro with Nando Viola (78').

If anyone then came close to winning it was Lazio who had several threatening counterattacks.

As mentioned the game became a bit ugly and in added time Roberto Badiani was sent off for simulation after more scuffles between the players. The Pisa manager Aldo Agroppi joined in the fun too and had a confrontation with Lazio's physio Eugenio Marinucci.

The match ended in a draw with no love lost between the two sides.

Pisa had possibly underestimated Lazio and their fighting spirit today. They had gone in front early and thought it would be easy but Lazio struck back and took away a deserved point.

The enquiry office lawyer's notepad no doubt remained empty.

Lazio were now joint 7th, on 35 points with Perugia (who had a game in hand). Serie A was 6 points above while Serie C was 7 points below. A classic limbo situation at the moment.

Pisa were still top, on 41 points with Sampdoria but they had both also been joined by Verona.

Who played for Pisa

Mannini, Riva, Massimi, Vianello, Garuti, Gozzoli, Bergamaschi, Viganò (86' Giannaccini), Bertoni, Casale, Birigozzi (74' Mariani)

Substitutes: Buso, Baldacci, Nannipieri

Manager: Agroppi

Who played for Lazio

Marigo, Pighin, Chiarenza, Mastropasqua, Pochesci, Sanguin, Vagheggi, Badiani, D'Amico, De Nadai, Surro (78' Viola)