September 16, 1951: Lazio Udinese 3-1
Lazio recover from Genoa defeat with a second-half surge
A difficult first half gives way to a dominant second as Antoniotti, Flamini and Puccinelli secure Lazio's first victory of the 1951–52 season.
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had arrived fourth for the second year running. An excellent result for the club, preceded only by the big northern Italian clubs.
This season the Biancocelesti had a new manager, Giuseppe Bigogno, and some new players: midfielders Luigi Fuin (Palermo), Ragnar Larsen (Sandaker) and Sigvard Lofgren (Helsingborg) plus forwards Lelio Antoniotti (Pro Patria), Armando Macci (Reggiana) and Sukru Gulesin on return from his loan to Palermo. Leaving Lazio were Aldo De Fazio (Lucchese), Mido Bimbi (Udinese), Flavio Cecconi (Napoli) and the forwards Dionisio Arce (Napoli), Norberto Hofling (Pro Patria) and Leoncino Unzain (Toulon).
In the first game of the season Lazio had crumbled 4-0 in Genoa against Sampdoria. Today was the second fixture.
The match: Sunday, September 16, 1951, Stadio Torino, Rome
Lazio bounced back from their heavy opening-day defeat at Sampdoria with a 3–1 victory over Udinese at the Stadio Torino, although the final score concealed a difficult opening 45 minutes. In oppressive heat, the Biancocelesti struggled to find their rhythm and were frequently made uncomfortable by an enterprising Udinese side. The improvement after the interval, however, was considerable, as Lazio's greater physical strength and attacking quality eventually told.
The visitors started brightly, while Lazio took time to settle. Lelio Antoniotti was the most dangerous of the home forwards, benefiting from the space created by Udinese centre-half Severino Feruglio's unusually deep position. At the other end, Amos Mariani and Ercole Castaldo provided Udinese with plenty of energy, while Giuseppe Rinaldi was a threat in attack. Lazio's midfield, meanwhile, struggled to provide a consistent supply to the forwards, with Enrique Flamini finding it difficult to impose himself during the early stages.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute. A move involving Flamini and Romolo Alzani eventually released Aldo Puccinelli, whose header sent the ball into the path of Antoniotti. The forward finished with a fine half-volley to put Lazio ahead. The goal was controversial, however, with contemporary observers considering Antoniotti to have been in an offside position.
Lazio's advantage lasted only six minutes. Udinese attacked through Jone Spartano and Mariani, whose cross caused problems for Lucidio Sentimenti IV. The Lazio goalkeeper was challenged by Giancarlo Bacci and lost possession, allowing Rinaldi to pounce and equalise. The visitors had therefore matched Lazio for much of the first half, and the 1–1 scoreline reflected a game in which neither side had yet found its best football.
The second half was a different story. Udinese began to tire in the heat, while Lazio finally found space to play with greater speed and precision. Five minutes after the restart, Puccinelli and Antoniotti combined to release Flamini, whose powerful finish restored Lazio's lead.
Just three minutes later, the Biancocelesti struck again. Sukrü Gulesin unleashed a powerful effort that Marco Brandolin could only parry, and Puccinelli reacted quickest to fire into the unguarded net and make it 3–1.
Lazio continued to control the match and even appeared to have scored a fourth when Sukrü found the net following a move involving Flamini and Antoniotti, but the goal was ruled out for offside in the 68th minute. Udinese were unable to mount a serious response, particularly after Rinaldi suffered a thigh injury late in the first half and was effectively reduced to a passenger after the interval.
The victory offered Lazio considerable encouragement. They had not produced a complete performance, and their midfield remained a concern, but their physical condition and ability to improve as the match progressed were encouraging signs.
It was, ultimately, a welcome first home victory of the campaign: Lazio had struggled for 45 minutes, but finished strongly enough to demonstrate that the 4–0 defeat at Sampdoria was unlikely to define their season.
Who played for Lazio
Sentimenti IV, Antonazzi, Furiassi, Alzani, Malacarne, Fuin, Puccinelli, Magrini, Antoniotti, Flamini, Sukrü
Manager: Bigogno
Who played for Udinese
Manager: Testolina
Referee: Savio
Goals: 36' Antoniotti, 42' Rinaldi, 55' Flamini, 58' Puccinelli
What happened next
At the end of the first half of the season Lazio were fourth together with Spal. They then beat Juventus 2-0 and continued the season well but with a few ups and downs, finishing fourth again in the company of Fiorentina. Once more they were preceded by the three big teams of Serie A, Juventus, Milan and Inter, but arriving fourth for three consecutive years for a club like Lazio with little financial backing was a big deal.
The player with most appearances was Lucidio Sentimenti IV (38) and top scorer was Sukru with 16 goals.
Lazio Jersey 1951-52
For the 1951-52 season Lazio wore four different shirts.
Images re-created using AI
They started with a plain, short-sleeved, celeste polo-style jersey with white collar flaps, worn during the summer and in the early games of the season. They then moved to a more classic long-sleeved version with a buttoned collar. A white alternative also appeared, featuring a classic celeste V-neck.
The most distinctive version was worn for the final league match of the season, Lazio–Milan on June 1, 1952, played at the Stadio Torino in Rome. On that occasion, the Biancocelesti took to the field in unusual light sky-blue shirts with six buttons, a design strongly reminiscent of the shirts worn by Lazio players during the first decades of the club's history.
Rather than being a purpose-made football shirt, the garment was derived from the civilian clothing fashionable at the time, particularly in South America. Its simplicity gives it a remarkably modern appearance today: a pale celeste body, a buttoned front and a straightforward, elegant cut.
The choice was also a nostalgic one. After decades of evolution in football clothing, Lazio were effectively looking back to their origins, when players had taken to the field in relatively simple shirts rather than the increasingly specialised football jerseys that would become standard in the post-war period.
The shirt therefore occupies an interesting place in Lazio's history. It was not simply another variation of the club's colours, but a deliberate visual link between the Lazio of the early 1900s and the post-war team of 1952.
There is something especially appealing about the design: at a time when football shirts were becoming increasingly recognisable as sporting equipment, Lazio chose to look backwards. The pale blue civilian-style shirt brought a little of 1900 back to Lazio in 1952, making it one of the most unusual and historically evocative jerseys in the club's collection.
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