September 27, 1987: Lazio -Bologna 2-2
- Dag Jenkins
- Sep 27
- 10 min read
Resilient Lazio earn decent point in promotion clash
The Biancocelesti come from behind twice to obtain draw against impressive Bologna
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had dramatically avoided relegation to Serie C. They started the season with a nine-point docking due to one of their player's involvement in the Totonero bis scandal. The manager was Eugenio Fascetti and only a Giuliano Fiorini goal eight minutes from time in the last game of the season and a subsequent win over Campobasso in a three-team playoff allowed them to stay up. The squad were heroes for life at Lazio but another season was about to begin.
Fascetti stayed on and the objective was clearly promotion. The Biancocelesti made some changes to the squad. The main new arrivals were: keeper Silvano Martina (Torino), defender Paolo Beruatto (Torino), midfielders Ciro Muro (Napoli), Gabriele Savino (Vicenza) plus forwards Giuseppe Galderisi (Milan-on loan) and Paolo Monelli (Fiorentina).
Leaving were keepers Mario Ielpo (Cagliari) and Giuliano Terraneo (Lecce), defenders Ernesto Calisti (Fiorentina), Gabriele Podavini (Genoa), Daniele Filisetti (Venezia-Mestre) plus forwards Giuliano Fiorini (Venezia-Mestre), Paolo Mandelli (Inter-end of loan), Fabio Poli (Bologna) and Giampaolo Saurini (Cagliari-on loan). In the autumn Giorgio Magnocavallo also left (Barletta). Some painful departures, especially Podavini, Poli and Fiorini.
Lazio had already started their season in Coppa Italia. They had won 2 (Lecce 1-0 and Casertana 2-0, both at home), drawn 2 (Pisa 0-0 away and Juventus 1-1 at home, then lost on penalties) and lost 1 (Catanzaro 0-5 away) and were eliminated.
The main objective however this year was promotion back to Serie A. In the league, so far Lazio had played two games and had won 1 (Sambenedettese 2-0 at home on debut) and lost 1 (Messina 0-1 away).
Bologna had finished 10th the previous season in Serie B. The manager was first Vincenzo Guerini (1-28) and then Giovan Battista Fabbri (29-38). Top scorer was Loris Pradella with 12 goals (only in B it was Lorenzo Marronaro with 9). Bologna had lost 1-2 away to Lazio and won 1-0 at home.
This season the manager was Gigi Maifredi. The main new signings were: goalkeeper Nello Cusin (Ospitaletto), defenders Marco De Marchi (Ospitaletto), Marco Monza (Como - via Ospitaletto), midfielders Fabio Poli (Lazio) and Pietro Strada (Ospitaletto).
Leaving were: goalkeeper Giuseppe Zinetti (Pescara, after 225 league games), defender Sergio Lancini (Barletta), midfielders Gaetano Musella (Nocerina), Enrico Nicolini (Catanzaro), Domenico Marocchino (Casale) and forward Francesco Palmieri (Centese)
So far, the Rossoblu had won 1 (Udinese 2-1 at home) and lost 1 (Lecce 0-3 away on debut).
In Coppa Italia unlike Lazio they had qualified for the last 16. They had won 3 (Campobasso 2-0 and Verona 3-1 at home and Cesena 0-1 away) and drawn 2 (SPAL and Messina both 1-1 away and then both lost on penalty shootouts). In the last 16 they would play Inter home and away in January.
A big game today at the Olimpico between two promotion candidates.
The match: Sunday, September 27, 1987, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A crowd of about 30,000 turned up at the Olimpico. It was a hot and sticky day but overcast with a few drops of rain here and there.
Lazio were without midfielder Antonio Acerbis while Bologna had no absences.
Before kick-off Fabio Poli went under the Curva Nord who thanked him for his two seasons in Rome and his crucial goal in the 1987 relegation playoff.
Bologna started better and Eraldo Pecci threatened early on. The Rossoblu took the lead in the 11th minute. Poli crossed into the middle where an unmarked Loris Pradella could not miss, 0-1.
In the first half hour Bologna were in total control.
Lazio had problems with Bologna's pressing but gradually grew in confidence. Giuseppe Galderisi first missed a chance one-on-one with the keeper but then equalised in the 37th minute. Ciro Muro took a corner and after a deflection by Giancarlo Marocchi the diminutive Lazio forward headed past Nello Cusin, 1-1.
Lazio were on a high and Raimondo Marino's powerful strike shaved the post and then in the 44th minute a Gabriele Savino header came back off the post.
The high did not last long as in the 46th minute the visitors scored again. Pecci took a free kick for Poli and the former Lazio player volleyed in with his left foot, a great goal, 1-2 at half time.
Early In the second half Mimmo Caso came on for Giancarlo Camolese. Bologna continued to impress but in the 61st minute Lazio levelled again. Muro set up Paolo Monelli who seemed to have lost the moment but then hit a low shot which went in off the post, 2-2.
Bologna seemed to settle for a point while Lazio wanted more. Their attacks however were well controlled by the visitors' well organised tactical set up.
Both former Lazio outfield players went off, Lorenzo Marronaro in the 73rd minute for Maurizio Gilardi while Poli got more applause despite scoring when he was replaced in the 81st minute by Alessandro Quaggiotto. There was a third former Lazio player in goal, Cusin had briefly been in the Lazio squad in 1984-85.
Meanwhile Lazio had taken Muro off in the 66th minute and put on Massimo Piscedda.
In the end everybody was reasonably happy. Lazio had come back twice to earn a point while Bologna had drawn away, showing at the moment they were more of a team than Lazio who relied more on individual initiatives.
It was early days but both clubs were now joint 6th on three points (with Udinese, Bari, Atalanta, Arezzo, Brescia and Sambenedettese).
Who played for Lazio
Martina, Brunetti, Beruatto, Pin, Gregucci, Marino, Savino, Camolese (50' Caso), Galderisi, Muro (66' Piscedda), Monelli
Manager: Fascetti
Who played for Bologna
Cusin, Luppi, Villa, Pecci, De Marchi, Monza, Poli (81' Quaggiotto), Stringara, Pradella, Marocchi, Marronaro (73' Gilardi)
Substitutes: Cavalieri, Ottoni, Strada
Manager: Maifredi
Referee: Paparesta
Goals: 11' Pradella, 37' Galderisi, 45' Poli, 61' Monelli
What happened next
Lazio managed to win promotion. With a 3rd place finish the Biancocelesti went back up to Serie A after three difficult seasons in the "purgatory" of Serie B and even risking worse.
It was not easy and it was touch and go all season. In the remaining games Lazio won 14, drew 16 and lost 5 (including Bologna 0-2).
On June 19, in an Olimpico already undergoing heavy restoration for Italia '90, Lazio defeated Taranto 3-1 to book their ticket back in the big time. Lazio have been in Serie A ever since. Top scorer was Paolo Monelli with 14 goals (13 in B).
Bologna confirmed today's good impression and won the league. The Felsinei then won 16, drew 16 and lost 3. The top scorer was Marronaro with 21 league goals.
In the Coppa Italia Inter proved too good and Bologna lost 1-6 on aggregate.
Lazio and Bologna went up with Lecce and Atalanta. At the other end Arezzo, Triestina (with 5-point docking) and Modena descended to Serie C1. The Coppa Italia was won by Sampdoria who defeated Torino 3-2 on aggregate (a.e.t).
Let's talk about Fabio Poli
Fabio Poli was born in San Benedetto Val di Sambro (Bologna), on November 22, 1962.
He started playing football for local clubs Pianorese and Vadese Calcio but his first big team was Modena. He played for the "Canarini" (The Canaries) in Serie C for two seasons between 1980 and 1982. He made 43 appearances with 3 goals. The Gialloblu finished 12th and third but won the Anglo-Italian Cup twice (against Poole Town and Sutton Town).
In 1982 he joined Bologna but never played and in November moved to Cagliari in Serie A. In his first year "Casteddu" were relegated under Gustavo Giagnoni. The following year the Sardinians finished 11th under Mario Tiddia and 16th the year after, which saw the arrival of Renzo Ulivieri as coach in October.
In 1985 Poli joined Lazio. He arrived in the capital at a difficult time. Lazio had just been relegated, there were internal feuds among those running the club, little money and unpaid wages. Despite a good team and a respected manager, Gigi Simoni, it was not an ideal situation to win promotion. In fact, Lazio came 11th but at one point even risked going down. Poli played 29 league games with 1 goal (Brescia) and 5 games in Coppa Italia.
The following season was dramatic. In the summer Lazio were initially demoted to Serie C and then the decision was changed to a nine-point docking in Serie B. This was due to an alleged involvement of Lazio player Claudio Vinazzani in the 1986 betting scandal. The Biancocelesti had a new manager, Eugenio Fascetti, and Serie A ambitions but the court verdict changed everything. The whole squad however decided to stay and fight.
After a strong start Lazio predictably ran out of steam in the second part of the season. They ultimately earned the right to a three-team relegation playoff, after an 82nd minute winner by Giuliano Fiorini against Vicenza. The playoffs were played in Naples in July. The first game was unluckily lost 1-0 against Taranto, with a goal two metres offside. Lazio took 25,000 fans to the game and the same number returned for the decisive game against Campobasso. Only a win could save the Romans from the drop and possibly worse (the future of the club itself was at risk). In the 53rd minute Poli became a legend heading the winner in Lazio's 1-0 victory. He ended the season with a bang but had performed well throughout with 31 league appearances and 4 goals (Bari, Taranto, Genoa, Pescara) plus 6 games in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Vicenza).
Despite his heroics, Poli was surprisingly sold to Bologna for the 1987-88 season. The "Felsinei" were near home and had Serie A ambitions but Poli wanted to stay with Lazio and has since stated he felt betrayed.
He had an excellent first season with the Rossoblu under Luigi Maifredi and won promotion (alongside Lazio), playing 34 league games with 9 goals (Udinese, Lazio…, Taranto, Catanzaro, Cremonese, Barletta, Lazio again…, Sambenedettese x2). He also scored 2 goals in Coppa Italia (Campobasso, Verona). Bologna finished top of Serie B (Lazio also promoted in 3rd place).
His second season was positive too. He made 29 league appearances with 4 goals (Juventus, Sampdoria, Torino x2) and 4 in Coppa Italia with 3 goals (Spezia x2, Barletta). He also scored 3 goals in the Mitropa Cup where the Emiliani were losing finalists (Banik Ostrawa). Bologna finished 13th in Serie A.
In 1989-90, in October, he ruptured his cruciate knee ligaments and it limited his season to 12 league games with 2 goals (Juventus, Bari). Bologna however had a good campaign and finished 8th, qualifying for the UEFA Cup.
In 1990-91 Maifredi left for Juventus and had it not been for his injury would have taken Poli with him. Instead Poli remained, first under Franco Scoglio and then Gigi Radice, and Bologna were relegated. Poli played 15 league games with 1 goal (Roma), 3 in Coppa Italia with 2 goals (Reggiana, Modena) and 3 games in the UEFA Cup.
It was in this season that Pioli was involved in a nasty incident. At the end of a home game against Juventus he got into an argument with Totò Schillaci. Poli was exaggeratedly accused of punching the Sicilian, something he has always denied. The Italia '90 hero then threatened him with the words, "I'll have you shot in the mouth". The scuffle made the headlines but from victim Poli became villain and was suddenly "persona non grata". He claims to have been ostracized by the football world ever since.
He stayed on with Bologna in Serie B. Gigi Maifredi returned after a disappointing spell at Juventus but was replaced by Nedo Sonetti in November. Bologna had a mediocre year finishing 13th. Poli played 31 league games with 2 goals (Lucchese, Casertana).
In 1992, with no big clubs interested in him, he joined Siena in Serie C1. His year with "Robur" was however plagued by injury and he only played 9 league games.
At this point, at 30 years of age, he went down to 6th tier regional level and joined Iperzola (Bologna). In his second year the "Zolesi" were promoted to the National Amateur League (Eccellenza) and in 1996 promoted to Serie C2. In 1997 he was also player-manager.
In 1998 he joined Felsina San Lazzaro (Bologna) in Serie D and stayed four seasons. He then had a final season with local amateur team Pro Malalbergo.
After retiring he was manager for some local Serie D teams, Felsina San Lazzaro and Boca San Lazzaro.
Since 2009 he has not been involved in football. Like many football players of the past he opened a sports shop in his hometown.
Pioli was an attacking midfielder who usually played on the wing. He was small (1.73) and light (68 kilos) but very quick, dynamic and athletic. He was technical and skilful with excellent dribbling qualities. He probably deserved a better career with his talent but his definite step to the top level was shattered by injury, from which he never recovered completely. He is however one of the few players to have scored in all the top six categories of Italian football.
At Lazio he only played two seasons but is a club hero. His goal against Campobasso is considered one of the most important in their 123 history. It's difficult to rank goals but personally I would put it in the top five. In no particular order: Giuliano Fiorini (Vicenza '87), Marcelo Salas (Manchester United '99), Diego Simeone (Juventus 2000), Pavel Nedved (Mallorca '99) and Fabio Poli (Campobasso '87). The Lulic 2013 Coppa Italia winner against Roma is in a different category. Pioli is nevertheless in good company.
Without Fiorini and Pioli's goals there may never have been any of the rest. Poli and "Il Gol di Poli" will live on eternally in Lazio's history.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
1985-86 | 34 (1) | 29 (1) | 5 |
1986-87 | 37 (6) | 31 (5) | 6 (1) |
Total | 71 (7) | 60 (6) | 11 (1) |
Sources
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