Manfredonia conquers San Benedetto

Dag Jenkins
Oct 2, 2022
3 min read

Season 1982-83

Game 4, Serie B

Sunday, October 3, 1982

Stadio Fratelli Ballarin, San Benedetto del Tronto

Sambenedettese-Lazio 0-1

A goal by the Roman is enough to clinch important away points

The start had been slow with three draws so far (Campobasso 0-0 at home on debut, Como 0-0 away and Monza 1-1 at home). Not a great start and Lazio's only goal had come on a penalty.

So far, in Serie B Sambenedettese had won 1 (Palermo 2-1 at home), drawn 1 (Milan 2-2 away on debut) and lost 1 (Cremonese 0-2 away).

A difficult game for struggling Lazio today against a solid mid-table side.

The match

A crowd of just over 6,000 turned up in the small seaside town of San Benedetto.

Sambenedettese were without defenders Daniele Catto and Guglielmo Ferrante, midfielder Michele Colasanto and forward Luciano Adami.

Lazio had promoted reserve keeper Fernando Orsi between the posts and had recent signing Renato Miele at centre-back. The Biancocelesti had no real absences.

The game started with lots of action. In the 1st minute Claudio Ambu had a crack from outside the box but was just off target, shaving the post. In the 2nd minute Bruno Ranieri set up Fabiano Speggiorin in the area but his effort was high. In the 13th minute Massimo Silva eluded Miele but his shot went across the goal mouth and out the other side.

After a lively start the home side then went quiet and Lazio took control of the proceedings. In the 31st minute Maurizio Montesi hit the post on a freekick and in the 34th minute Bruno Giordano headed straight into the keeper's arms from an Enrico Vella cross.

The hosts reared their heads in the 35th minute when Silva after a lucky ricochet had a shot from close range but debutant Orsi showed off excellent reflexes.

In the 42nd minute the Biancocelesti took the lead. On a corner by Vella, the keeper stumbled coming off his line and Lionello Manfredonia headed the ball in, 0-1.

For the second half the "Samba" brought on forward Santo Perrotta for midfielder Augusto Gentilini.

The home side were then expected to attack furiously to at least earn a point but their approach to the second half was lame. Lazio controlled the midfield and rarely ran any risks at the back.

The Rossoblu tried throwing on forward Giorgio Lunerti for Speggiorin in the 66th minute while Lazio responded ten minutes later replacing Ambu with Vincenzo D'Amico, favouring control of the ball over counterattack.

The Marchigiani's onslaught only came in the final minutes. Their biggest chance came with Perrotta who looked sure to score from only a few metres out but Orsi again jumped like a spring and got a hand to the ball. The Samb forward had a suitable name but would have to wait a little longer to be canonised. Final score Sambenedettese 0 Lazio 1.

All in all, a deserved win for Lazio who had got the all-important goal, then defended efficiently and were only made to sweat a bit more in the last 7-8 minutes.

An important win too. San Benedetto was a difficult place to come and the two points pushed Lazio up to joint 2nd on 5 points (with three other teams) and only one point behind the four front-runners on 6 points.

Who played for Sambenedettese

Minguzzi, Ipsaro Passione, Petrangeli, Schiavi, Cagni, Rossinelli, Gentilini (46' Perrotta), B.Ranieri, Silva, F.Speggiorin (66' Lunerti), Caccia

Substitutes: Coccia, Minoia, D'Angelo

Manager: Sonetti

Who played for Lazio

Orsi, Podavini, Saltarelli, Vella, Miele, Manfredonia, Ambu (77' D'Amico), Montesi, Giordano, Badiani, Surro