Non existent penalty deprives Lazio of win

Simon Basten
May 28, 2023
2 min read

Season 1971-72

Game 35, Serie B

Sunday, May 28, 1972

Stadio Comunale, Reggio Calabria

Reggina Lazio 1-1

Lazio forced to a draw by referee decisions

Lazio started the Serie B campaign slowly, losing the first two games away from home, but from the 6th match onwards things improved. At the end of the first half of the season the Biancocelesti were third, one point behind Palermo and Ternana and two points ahead of Reggiana and Perugia.

There were four games left to the end of the season and the table read Palermo and Ternana 44 points, Lazio 43, Como 42, Reggiana 41.

The match

On a Sunday when Juventus FC clinched the league title in a thrilling finish, with AC Milan and Torino FC just one point behind the Bianconeri, and with US Catanzaro 1929, Mantova 1911, and Varese Calcio relegated from Serie A, everything remained open in Serie B, both at the top and the bottom of the table.

Lazio travelled to Calabria intending to take all three points against an opponent for whom even a single point was vital in order to keep a safe distance from the relegation zone.

After some early probing, with attempts from Renato Sali and Giorgio Chinaglia, the Biancocelesti took the lead. In the 17th minute “Long John” struck a free kick from the edge of the box into the wall; the ball fell to Giambattista Moschino, who chipped it over much of the opposing defence and found Giuseppe Massa arriving on cue, only for him to be challenged by Nedo Sonetti as he was about to shoot. From the ensuing scramble, the ball was picked up by Chinaglia, who blasted it past the helpless Bruno Jacoboni. For the striker, it was finally a goal from open play after many scored from the penalty spot.

Reggina looked disoriented, but Lazio, despite controlling the match, failed to capitalize. After a chance wasted by Alessandro Abbondanza around the half-hour mark, the Calabrians regrouped and began pressing into Lazio’s penalty area, though without ever seriously troubling Claudio Bandoni.

In the second half, the team coached by Olmes Neri appeared more incisive, but Lazio’s defence withstood the pressure with great composure. Only in the 58th minute did a very chaotic incident allow the equaliser. The unpredictable Marco Fazzi entered the box after dribbling past Pino Wilson; Giuseppe Papadopulo recovered and touched the ball while grazing the striker’s ankle, and the forward needed no further invitation to throw himself to the ground. Referee Giulio Ciacci fell for it and awarded the penalty amid furious protests from the Romans.

Fazzi himself converted perfectly, bringing the match level again.

Lazio tried to regain the lead, but Reggina, despite a few anxious moments, held firm until the final whistle.

Three games left and the table now read: Ternana 46, Lazio and Palermo 44, Reggiana and Como 43.

Who played for Reggina

Jacoboni, Poppi, Sali, Tacelli, Marchini, Sonetti, D'Astoli, Molinari, Fazzi, F.Righi, Bongiorni

Substitutes: Marcatti, Perucconi

Manager: O.Neri

Who played for Lazio

Bandoni, Facco, Papadopulo, Wilson, Polentes, Martini, Massa, Nanni, Chinaglia, Moschino, Abbondanza