Viola deludes but decent point

Dag Jenkins
Nov 9, 2023
3 min read

Season 1980-81

Game 9, Serie B

Sunday, November 9, 1980

Stadio Comunale, Ferrara

SPAL Lazio 1-1

Lazio go up but own goal gives Estensi a draw

Lazio's Serie B league debut was on September 14 at home to Palermo and it ended 1-1. The Biancocelesti had since won 5 (Catania 4-0, Varese 2-1, Atalanta 2-0, Rimini 1-0 all at home and Foggia 1-0 away) and drawn 2 (Verona 1-1 and Pescara 0-0 away). A promising start and Lazio were currently 1st on 13 points, one ahead of Milan and two of today's opponents SPAL.

In Serie B so far, SPAL were doing reasonably well. They had won 4, drawn 2 and lost 2 (including the recent derby against Cesena 2-3 away). They were currently 3rd on 10 points with Genoa, Sampdoria and Pisa.

A difficult game today for Lazio against a potential promotion rival.

The match: Sunday, November 9, 1980, Stadio Comunale, Ferrara

It was a wet day in Ferrara and the pitch was slippery. A crowd of about just over 10,000 turned up at the small ground inside the city walls, with a good following from Rome too.

SPAL were missing their main striker Mauro Gibellini while Lazio had Renzo Garlaschelli unavailable.

The first half was reasonably balanced, the locals attacked more but Lazio were dangerous on the break.

The biggest chance came in the 26th minute when Giuseppe Greco hit the crossbar from close range after a good initiative by Filippo Citterio.

The Spallini responded in the 31st minute with a powerful strike by Gianpietro Tagliaferri saved by Maurizio Moscatelli into corner. The Lazio keeper, from nearby Cesena himself, then had to rush off his line to deny Oriano Grop.

In the 41st minute Lazio scored. Two SPAL defenders hesitated in clearing the ball and Greco took advantage to set up Nando Viola who raced into the area and from an angled position chipped the keeper, 0-1.

An even first 45 minutes but Lazio had hit the woodwork and got the breakthrough goal.

In the second half the Estensi came back on with different shirts. Their white ones with light blue stripes were too similar to Lazio's so they now wore a dark blue kit.

Only five minutes passed and the Ferraresi equalised. In the 50th minute after a give and go between Pier Luigi Giani and Rosario Rampanti the former pushed the ball across to Angelo Castronaro who hit it well but it also came off Arcadio Spinozzi's knee and gave Moscatelli no chance, 1-1.

A minute later the hosts made their first change bringing on defender Mirco Brilli for injured midfielder Rampanti who had hurt himself in the build up to the equaliser.

Lazio had an almost immediate chance to take back the lead in the 55th minute but Renzi was reactive on a Greco volley.

The game then went a bit flat with both sides more cautious.

In the 73rd minute SPAL made their second substitution replacing defender Alberto Bergossi with forward Luca Gabbriellini. A seemingly bold move but the setup was reshuffled and remained similar.

Lazio strangely made no substitutions but to be fair looking at the bench there was not much to choose from.

Lazio were slightly more active especially with Citterio, Giorgio Mastropasqua and Greco but were unable to threaten again.

The game ended in a 1-1 draw which at the end of the day probably satisfied both sides.

The managers after the game were of diverging opinions: Ilario Castagner claimed Lazio were unlucky and would have deserved the two points while his colleague Battista Rota thought his team had played well and that Castronaro's shot would have gone in anyway even without the deflection.

Lazio were still top but now had to share the leadership with Milan on 14 points, two ahead of Pisa and three of SPAL in fourth position.

Who played for SPAL

Renzi, Ogliari, D.Ferrari, Castronaro, Albiero, Miele, Giani, Rampanti (51' Brilli), Bergossi (73' Gabbriellini), Tagliaferri, Grop

Substitutes: Gavioli, Cavasin, Domini

Manager: Rota

Who played for Lazio

Moscatelli, Spinozzi, Citterio, Perrone, Pochesci, Mastropasqua, Viola, Sanguin, Chiodi, Bigon, Greco