September 5, 1976: Lazio- Novara 3-2, Coppa Italia
- Dag Jenkins
- Sep 5
- 8 min read
Platonic win for Lazio
The Biancocelesti get first win of season but there is room for improvement
Also on this day:
The season so far
Lazio had finished 13th the previous season. It had been a difficult season due to Tommaso Maestrelli's illness. Lazio had started the season with Giulio Corsini in charge but he had clashed with the old guard players especially Giorgio Chinaglia and left in early December.
At this point Maestrelli surprisingly returned seemingly in better health. Lazio however struggled all season and in April Chinaglia left to play for the New York Cosmos. Lazio ultimately avoided relegation in a dramatic last game of the season 2-2 draw at Como.
This season Maestrelli was replaced by Brazilian Luís Vinicio. The main new players were keeper Claudio Garella (Novara), defender Dario Pighin (Palermo), midfielders Franco "Ciccio" Cordova (free agent), Fernando Viola (Cagliari) and forward Renzo Rossi (Como).
Leaving were keeper Avelino Moriggi (Novara), defender Sergio Petrelli (Anconitana), midfielder Sergio Borgo (Pistoiese) and forward Giovanni Carlo Ferrari (Cagliari).
This was Lazio's third game in the Coppa Italia. They were in a group of five teams and had already lost to Atalanta 1-2 away and Milan 1-2 at home. The other teams were today's opposition Novara and Catania. Lazio's chances of qualifying were extremely slim.
Serie A would start on October 3 at home to Juventus.
Novara had finished 6th in Serie B the previous season, under manager Lamberto Giorgis. Top scorer was Ennio Fiaschi with 11 goals (9 in B). Current Lazio goalkeeper Claudio Garella had been in the squad.
This season Giorgis was still the manager. The main new players were: goalkeepers Sergio Buso (Bologna) and, former Lazio, Avelino Moriggi, defender Cesare Cattaneo (Verona), midfielders Bernardino Fabbian (Foggia - on loan), Eugenio Fumagalli (Foggia), Sergio Vriz (Verona) and Giovanni Lodetti (Foggia) plus forwards Roberto Bacchin (Torino), Giuseppe Giavardi (Lecco) and Giovanni Toschi (Cesena).
The Azzurri had two other Lazio connections in the squad: Salvatore Amato and Ezio Castellucci.
Leaving were: goalkeeper Claudio Garella (Lazio), defender Leonardo Menichini (Roma), midfielder Giordano Gallim (Anconitana), Orano Rolfo (Alessandria), Antonio Rocca (Atalanta), Alberto Marchetti (Juventus - end of loan) plus forward Ennio Fiaschi (Verona).
In the current Coppa Italia the Azzurri had only played one game but had lost 0-1 at home to Catania.
Before today's games the table read: Milan 4, Catania 2, Atalanta 2, Lazio 0, Novara 0. Novara and Atalanta had a game in hand. Only one team would qualify for the next round.
The match: Sunday, September 5, 1976, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Not a big crowd at the Olimpico, about 10,000, a consequence of Lazio being practically already out and playing second tier opposition.
Lazio however fielded a strong side with only injured Luciano Re Cecconi missing.
Lazio attacked early on. In the 8th minute, after an Avelino Moriggi save, Renzo Garlaschelli was just off target on the rebound. In the 10th minute Bruno Giordano shot, Moriggi saved and Garlaschelli again on the rebound, this time with a header, hit the crossbar. More chances followed with Fernando Viola who twice went close and then a Giordano shot was just high.
The breakthrough came in the 17th minute. Vincenzo D'Amico was tripped up by Bernardino Fabbian and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. The Golden Boy from Latina took it himself and put Lazio in front, 1-0.
Lazio now had more space in midfield but it was the Azzurri who against the run of play had two chances to equalise. In the 25th minute Felice Pulici had to save a Sandro Salvioni effort with his feet. A couple of minutes later Eugenio Fumagalli had a shot but he pulled it wide.
Then it was all Lazio again. Moriggi saved on Giordano in the 29th minute and on Viola in the 32nd. In the 37th minute Lazio doubled their lead. Viola set up Roberto Badiani who entered the box and managed to beat the former Lazio keeper, 2-0.
The Novaresi did not give up however and Pulici had to make a double save on Galli in the 43rd minute. In the 44th minute the Gaudenziani too were awarded a penalty when Pietro Ghedin pulled down the active Galli. Sergio Vriz took it and scored, 2-1 at half time.
The visitors made two changes during the break: Salvatore Amato for Fumagalli surprisingly and Luigi Giannini for Vriz.
The Piedmontese were the first to threaten when in the 55th minute Ciccio Cordova prevented Roberto Bacchin from shooting from a favourable position, from a Giuseppe Giavardi cross.
Moriggi was busy again in the 57th minute on a Giordano strike after a good Cordova-D'Amico combination.
Three minutes later D'Amico abused of his talent when he tried one too many dribblings instead of setting up a better positioned Viola.
The visitors still believed and Salvioni shaved the post with a powerful long-range shot.
Lazio had several potential chances but messed up the final touches.
In the 65th minute Moriggi was brilliant again, this time on a Garlaschelli volley.
In the 72nd minute D'Amico volleyed over the bar from a Viola cross. Then Moriggi continued his excellent return to Rome as he superbly blocked a thundering Viola effort, a few minutes later he saved again on Viola but this time he was helped by a dose of luck, and soon after denied a Giordano attempt.
The Moriggi show ended in the 80th minute when he capitulated on a low Cordova shot, 3-1.
Moriggi was beaten for the third time but the Azzurri still the came back at Lazio. In the 83rd minute they were back in the game as Salvioni headed in unmarked from a Bacchin cross, 3-2.
Lazio managed to resist and clinch their first cup win of the season albeit pointless towards a qualification to the next round. Wins help you to win as they say but Lazio would have to improve when they played superior level teams.
Novara had battled hard and lost with dignity. Both teams were now officially out, time to concentrate on the upcoming leagues. The table read: Milan 5 (+3), Atalanta 3 (+1) Lazio 2 (-1), Catania 2 (-2), Novara 0 (-2). Milan and Atalanta had drawn 1-1 at the San Siro so could both still qualify.
At the end of the game Moriggi was given a plaque in memory of his Lazio days. He was certainly man of the match today.
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Ammoniaci, Martini, Wilson, Ghedin, Cordova, Garlaschelli, Viola, Giordano, D'Amico, Badiani
Substitutes: Garella, Polentes, Lopez, Agostinelli, R. Rossi
Manager: Vinicio
Who played for Novara
Moriggi, Fabbian, Lugnan, Vivian, Veschetti, Ferrari, Fumagalli (46' Amato), Bacchin, Giavardi, Vriz (46' Giannini), Salvioni
Substitutes: Nasuelli, Zitta, Castellucci
Manager: Giorgis
Referee: Reggiani
Goals: 18' D'Amico (pen), 35' Badiani, 44' Vriz (pen), 80' Cordova, 83' Salvioni
What happened next
It was a sad season for Lazio. On December 2, legendary Scudetto manager Tommaso Maestrelli passed away after a long fight with illness. A great manager and wonderful human being who would never be forgotten at Lazio.
Then another tragedy hit Lazio on January 18, 1977. One of their star players Luciano Re Cecconi died tragically at 28. He was shot dead by a jeweller in a shop in north Rome. Initially it seemed it may have been a prank gone wrong and that Re Cecconi had jokingly simulated a hold up, pretending to have a gun in his coat pocket. This has since been challenged, especially by his teammate Pietro Ghedin who was with him at the time. It emerged that the jeweller just panicked, he had already shot at someone before and was on edge, while the Lazio player had done nothing suspicious at all. It did not help that the jeweller did not follow football and so did not recognize "Cecco" who had even played for the national team. The sad fact remains that Re Cecconi died at 28.
On the field Lazio had a good season and finished 5th (UEFA Cup). Lazio won 10 (including Roma 1-0, Fiorentina 4-1, Inter 2-1, Genoa 4-1 at home), drew 11 (including Milan 2-2 and Inter 1-1 away) and lost 9 (including other derby 0-1). Top scorer was Giordano with 13 goals (10 in A).
In Coppa Italia the Biancocelesti won their last match too, 3-1 away at Catania but were eliminated. The final table read: Milan 7, Atalanta 7, Lazio 4, Catania 2, Novara 0. Milan qualified on goal difference.
Novara ended up relegated. They changed managers from Giorgis to Vittorio Calloni from the 27th fixture onwards but ended up 20th. Top scorer was Vriz with 8 league goals.
In Coppa Italia they then lost 0-3 away to Atalanta and 0-3 at home to Milan.
The Scudetto was won by Juventus for the 17th time. Taking a break from top flight football were Sampdoria, Cesena and Catanzaro (the Calabresi would bounce straight back up again). Milan won the Coppa Italia defeating Inter 2-0.
Let's talk about Salvatore Amato
Salvatore Amato was born in Naples on September 3, 1955.
Lazio signed him from Sorrento in 1972. He played for Lazio U23s for two seasons. In 1973-74, along with the first team they too won their league and the Scudetto. Amato also played one game for the Lazio main team when he was fielded by Tommaso Maestrelli in a Coppa Italia game away to Palermo, on May 1, 1974.
In 1975 he left Lazio for Siracusa in Serie C. The Aretusei finished 13th under manager Ulderico Sacchella. His teammates included Lazio connection, goalkeeper Giuseppe Avagliano.
In 1976-77 Amato played for Novara in Serie B. The Azzurri finished 20th and relegated, first under Lamberto Giorgis (1-26) and then Vittorino Calloni (27-38). Amato however only played 4 league games and a couple in the cup before leaving in the autumn for Giulianova. In his brief stay his teammates included another former Lazio keeper, Avelino Moriggi.
Giulianova were in Serie C. The Giallorossi finished 6th under Sergio Manente.
The following year the Lupi were relegated and Manente had been replaced during the season by Adelmo Capelli. The squad included a young Gianfranco Matteoli who would later shine for Cagliari and win a Scudetto with Inter.
Amato stayed on in 1978-79 and the Abruzzesi finished 8th in C2 under manager Angelo Perani.
In 1979-80 the Giallorossi won the league and were promoted under manager Gianni Corelli. Amato had a good season and was the club top scorer with 15 goals.
Amato then left and joined Triestina in Serie C1. Amato played 31 league games under manager Ottavio Bianchi (later to win Scudetto with Napoli) and the Alabardati finished 4th. His teammates included future Lazio, Giorgio Magnocavallo.
He then joined Barletta in Serie D. The Furie Rosse won the league and promotion under Gianni Corelli.
In 1982-83 he stayed on in Barletta and the Biancorossi finished 8th in C1, still under Corelli.
In 1983-84 Barletta finished 8th again, first under Corelli and then Gastone Bean.
In 1984-85 he left Puglia and moved back to Sorrento in Serie C2. The Costieri finished 2nd and promoted, first under Carmine Tascone and then Brazilian Cané. His teammates included former Lazio, Ernesto Apuzzo.
The following season, in November 1985, he moved down to Reggio Calabria and joined Reggina in Serie C2. The manager was Giuseppe Caramanno and the Amaranto finished 2nd, so narrowly missed out on promotion
Amato then had stints at lower level Vigor Lamezia, Siderno, Castrovillari and Casale Bonito before retiring.
He then became a coach in the lower leagues. He has had spells at Giugliano, Sorrento, Formia, Ins.Ausonia and Vico Equense.
Amato was a skillful midfielder. He did not make it at the top level but had a decent career especially in the third tier and won three promotions.
Lazio Career
Season | Coppa Italia Appearances |
1973-74 | 1 |
Sources
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