September 19, 1965: Lazio-Varese 2-1
- Dag Jenkins
- Sep 19
- 8 min read
First league win of season
Goals by D'Amato and Ciccolo give Lazio hard fought win
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season had been pretty nondescript. Lazio had finished 14th and only been certain of survival after the penultimate game. The manager was Umberto Mannocci and top scorers were Nello Governato and Antonio Renna with 5 goals (4 in A).
This season Mannocci stayed on. There was not a lot of money so the transfers were few. Arriving were midfielder Giovanni Sacco (Juventus-on loan) plus forwards Nicola Ciccolo (Mantova) and a returning Orlando Rozzoni (Catania-end of loan). Leaving was midfielder Eugenio Fascetti (Messina, he would be back in 1986 as manager).
So far in Serie A the Biancocelesti had played two, with both ending in draws (Milan 0-0 at home on debut and Torino 2-2 away).
In Coppa Italia the Biancocelesti debuted on August 29, winning 3-1 away at Alessandria. Next up were Venezia away in November.
Varese had finished 11th in Serie A under Uruguayan Ettore Puricelli. The Biancorossi had lost both games to Lazio, 1-3 in Rome and 0-1 at home. The Bosini won 8 matches but their best result was probably a 0-0 away draw against future league and European Cup winners Inter. Varese also drew the home game against the Nerazzurri 0-0.
This season the manager was Mario Gambazza with Giulio Cappelli as technical director. The main new signings were: goalkeeper Mario Da Pozzo (Genoa), defenders Francangelo Magnaghi (Bari), Riccardo Sogliano (Alessandria), midfielder Bruno Gioia (Messina) plus forwards Roberto Boninsegna (Inter on loan - via Potenza), Romano Bagatti (Messina) and Nestor Combin (Juventus).
Leaving were: keeper Leonardo Miniussi (Inter), midfielder Horst Szymaniak (Tasmania Berlin) plus forwards Alberto Spelta (Potenza) and Vincenzo Traspedini (Juventus).
There were plenty of Lazio connections in the squad: keeper Rosario Di Vincenzo (Lazio, 1967-72), Carlo Soldo (1967-69), Bruno Gioia (1967-68), Piero Cucchi (1967-69) and Romano Bagatti (1966-69).
So far Varese had lost both their league games (Inter 2-5 away and Bologna 1-4 at home). To be fair both were very difficult fixtures.
In Coppa Italia, Varese had got through the first round winning 1-0 at Lecco. Next up were Livorno away in November.
Lazio were looking for their first victory to consolidate their good start while Varese were hoping to get off the mark after a problematic one.
The match: Sunday, September 19, 1965, Stadio Flaminio, Rome
A hot and sticky day saw a good 25,000 crowd in the small Flaminio stadium.
Lazio had all their main players available while Varese were without defenders Carlo Soldo and Franco Magnaghi plus midfielder Bruno Gioia.
The first chance of the game was for the Biancocelesti. In the 5th minute Giampiero Vitali's threatening free kick was punched away by Rosario Di Vincenzo. The future Lazio keeper then reacted well on a close range Nello Governato strike.
The Lombards were not merely passive and Piero Dotti had to get in some decisive tackles on quick forward Nestor Combin.
It was Lazio's midfield however that gradually took control of the operations. Lazio had several opportunities: in the 13th Can Bartu shot just wide, in the 18th Di Vincenzo saved a long range Vitali effort, in the 20th Bartu's strike went just high and in the 34th minute the Turk's shot was fortuitously blocked by a defender.
The goal was on the cards and it came in the 37th minute. A quick Vito D'Amato-Bartu one-two was finished off by the Italian with a powerful shot into the roof of the net, 1-0.
Only three minutes passed and Lazio scored again. In the 40th minute Governato put in a long, high cross which went over a hesitant Di Vincenzo and reached Nicola Ciccolo on the far post who headed it in, 2-0 at halftime. A deserved double lead for the Roman Eagles.
The first ten minutes after the break were managed well by Lazio who seemed in control.
In the 57th minute however, Idilio Cei was a touch lucky when he saved a Roberto Boninsegna shot with his feet.
In the 60th minute goalkeeper Di Vincenzo was forced off injured and on came 21-year-old Enzo Cainero.
The new keeper was immediately tested by a blistering Bartu effort and he then acrobatically blocked a Ciccolo cross.
Lazio lost intensity and Varese's midfield with Kurt Andersson and Luigi Ossola started to be more dominant.
In the 77th minute the Bosini pulled a goal back. Boninsegna, set up by Andersson, beat Diego Zanetti with a skillful movement and hammered a low cross goal shot into the back of the net, 2-1.
The game was now completely open and both sides could have scored. In the 82nd minute a counterattack by D'Amato and Ciccolo was staved off by an excellent last ditch tackle by Pietro Moroso.
Varese then looked about to score with Andersson but the flag went up for offside and in the dying seconds Romano Bagatti was denied by a superb Cei save. Full time: Lazio 2 Varese 1.
The first league win of the season for Lazio. It seemed done and dusted after the first half but Varese had battled hard and almost came away with a point. All in all however a deserved two points for the Biancocelesti.
Lazio were now joint 2nd (with 3 other teams) on 4 points while Varese were bottom with Catania on 0 points.
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Mannocci
Who played for Varese
Di Vincenzo (60' Cainero), Maroso, Sogliano, Ossola, Marcolini, Vitali, Bagatti, Andersson, Combin, Cucchi, Boninsegna
Manager: Magni
Referee: De Robbio
Goals: 37' D'Amato, 40' Ciccolo, 77' Boninsegna
What happened next
Lazio finished 12th. In the next games Lazio won 7 (including derby 1-0 and Milan 2-0 away), drew 11 (including second derby 0-0 and varese 1-1) and lost 13. The top scorer was Vito D'Amato with 7 league goals.
In Coppa Italia Lazio beat Venezia 1-0 away but then lost 1-3 away to Catanzaro and were eliminated.
A week later Varese picked up their first point in a 0-0 home draw against Juventus but ended up relegated. The Varesini finished 18th, on only 15 points (13 from safety). After the 4th fixture Gambazza stayed on alone but was sacked after the 8th fixture (0-2 home defeat to Vicenza) and replaced by Pietro Magni who himself was then dismissed after the 25th fixture (0-1 away defeat again to Vicenza) and Piero Trapanelli took over until the end of the season. Top scorers were Boninsegna and Bagatti with 5 league goals each.
Varese came straight back up again the following season.
In Coppa Italia they won 2-1 in Livorno but then on December 22 lost to bogey team Vicenza 1-0 (a.e.t.). The two teams had actually already played on December 5 and Varese had won on penalties after a 2-2 draw but then the game had to be replayed due to irregularities (5 pens instead of 6) in the penalty shoot-out (it seemed written that Vicenza brought bad luck to Varese this season).
The league was won by Inter for their 10th Scudetto and first star (for every ten titles) while going down with Varese were Catania and Sampdoria. The Coppa Italia was won by Fiorentina who defeated surprise finalists Catanzaro 2-1 a.e.t (with a 119th minute penalty).
Let's talk about Roberto Boninsegna
Roberto Boninsegna was born in Mantova on November 13, 1943.
At 14 he joined the Inter academy and in 1962 won the prestigious Viareggio Cup. He was not considered ready for the first team by coach Helenio Herrera so was sent out on loan.
At 20 was loaned to Prato in Serie B where he played 22 league games and scored 1 goal. The Biancoazzurri were relegated. One of his teammates was Lazio 1958 cup hero Maurilio Prini.
In 1964-65 he joined Potenza on loan in Serie B. In Basilicata he played regularly, 32 league appearances, and started to score goals, 9. Potenza finished a positive 5th.
In 1965 he was sold to Varese in Serie A. He played a total of 31 games (28 in A) with 7 goals (5 in A). The Biancorossi ended up relegated. In Varese there were several Lazio connections: Rosario Di Vincenzo, Carlo Soldo, Bruno Goia, Piero Cucchi and Romano Bagatti.
In 1966-67 he played for Cagliari in Serie A. He played 36 games (34 in A) with 9 goals (7in A). Cagliari had a good season and finished 6th under Mario Scopigno. In the summer Cagliari played in the US league representing the Chicago Mustangs, an early marketing move.
Boninsegna stayed the following two seasons with another 72 appearances (49 in A) with 27 goals (14 in A). Cagliari finished 9th, under Ettore Puricelli and 2nd under Scopigno again. Gigi Riva was already there all three seasons and in 1970 the Sardinians would win the Scudetto.
In 1969 Boninsegna returned to Inter in exchange of 600 million lire plus Angelo Domenghini, Sergio Gori and Cesare Poli. He stayed seven seasons playing 197 games in A, 55 in Coppa Italia and 29 in Europe and scoring an impressive 171 goals (113 in A, 36 in CI and 22 in Europe). He was top Serie A scorer twice (1971 with 22 and 1972 with 20). At Inter he won a Scudetto in 1971, under Heriberto Herrera and then Giovanni Invernizzi. His other managers included Helenio Herrera, Luis Suárez and Giuseppe Chiappella. In 1972 Inter reached the European Cup final but lost 0-2 to Ajax in Rotterdam. In his years at Inter the various squads included Lazio connections: Mario Frustalupi, Gian Piero Ghio, Silvano Martina, Giuseppe Massa, Aldo Nicoli, Giorgio Magnocavallo, Roberto Galbiati and Renzo Rossi.
In 1976 he reluctantly signed for rivals Juventus and Pietro Anastasi went the other way. In three seasons in Turin he played 94 games (58 in A) and scored 35 goals (22 in A). He won the Scudetto twice under Giovanni Trapattoni plus a UEFA Cup and a Coppa Italia. His teammates included Lazio connections, Dino Zoff and Luciano Spinosi.
In 1979-80 he joined Verona in Serie B. He played 18 games (14 in B) and scored 4 goals (3 in B). The Gialloblu finished 13th under Fernando Veneranda.
Boninsegna then spent one last season with Viadanese in Serie D. He played 23 league games and scored 8 goals. At 37 he retired. He then stayed on as sporting director.
With Italy he won 22 caps and scored 9 goals. He took part in two World Cups and famously set up Rivera's 4-3 winner against Germany in the semis and scored the momentary equaliser in the 1970 final eventually lost 1-4 against Brazil. He therefore has a World Cup runners-up medal.
After retiring he had a brief coaching career. In December 2001 he took over at Mantova in C2 and finished 9th. He stayed on the following year but only until January. He then returned to his hometown in 2011-12 as technical director. He has also worked as a talent scout with Inter and been general director at Trento.
He has taken part in films and even attempted a political career. He is currently a TV pundit.
Boninsegna also known as "Bonimba" was a striker. He was not particularly tall, 1.74 and 72 kilos, but was strong and excellent in the air. He was a classic centre-forward, sometimes selfish but with goals in the blood. He was also a reliable penalty taker once scoring 19 consecutive spot kicks, still a record. He was a player with temperament, a fighter (he looked a bit like a boxer too…), sometimes too much as in 1976 when playing for Cagliari at Varese he was sent off for dissent and received an 11-match suspension (then reduced to 9).
He is in Cagliari's Hall of Fame, won the Scudetto three times (2 at Juve, 1 at Inter) and played in a World Cup final. All in all Bonimba is one of Italy's best strikers in history.
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