Pulici in goal and helmet on

Simon Basten
Nov 8, 2023
2 min read

Season 1981-82

Game 9, Serie B

Sunday, November 8, 1981

Stadio Comunale, Pistoia

Pistoiese Lazio 0-1

A fantastic game from the legendary Lazio keeper and a Viola goal give the Biancocelesti a much-needed away win

Lazio, after having been immediately eliminated in Coppa Italia, had not started well in the league either and after the first three games they had just one point. But then things seemed to improve as they won three consecutive matches, but they had then lost both away to Perugia and at home to Catania. They were currently 13th. Not good.

The match

Ilario Castagner had decided. Felice Pulici, who had arrived only a few weeks earlier, was to play in goal in place of Dario Marigo. The Lazio legend, goalkeeper of the 1973-74 scudetto, was back to help out his club.

It did not take long to call Felice into action. In the 9th minute he made a great save on a Giorgio Rognoni shot and in the 33rd he was saved by the woodwork on an Antonio Capone header. After suffering a massive initial onslaught from Pistoiese, slowly the Tuscans started to put less pressure on the Biancoceleste defence and in the 42nd minute there was a blatant foul on Claudio Vagheggi by Alessandro Zagano which the referee decided to ignore.

In the 52nd minute another marvellous save from Pulici on a Pietro Ghedin header gave the message to the hosts that perhaps to accept a draw was not really that bad after all. So, until the 80th minute they decided to slow down the pace and often passed back to the keeper (you could do that in those days!).

Then with ten minutes to the end of the game there was a free kick on the wing following a foul on Walter Speggiorin. Michele De Nadai crossed into the box, Fabrizio Berni anticipated his goalkeeper who was about to catch the ball, Nando Viola outside the box struck a shot which went under a number of legs and beat Poerio Mascella.

Pistoiese put Lazio under siege for the last part of the game but the Biancoceleste defence erected a wall in front of Pulici and brought back the two points.

Who played for Pistoiese

Mascella, Zagano, Ghedin (84' Lucarelli), Borgo, Berni (84' Fagni), Masi, Torresani, Rognoni, Capone, Piraccini, Desolati

Substitutes: Carraro, Davin, Re

Manager: Toneatto

Who played for Lazio

Pulici, Chiarenza, Badiani, Mastropasqua, Pighin, De Nadai, Viola, Sanguin, Vagheggi, Ferretti (85’ Benini), Speggiorin