Unlucky

Simon Basten
May 30, 2023
3 min read

Season 1947-48

Game 37, Serie A

Sunday, May 30, 1948

Stadio Filadelfia, Turin

Torino Lazio 4-3

The Day Lazio Nearly Toppled the Invincible Great Torino

The season so far

The previous season had been disappointing and Lazio arrived only 10th so, for the 1947-48 season, fans hoped for a better year. Toni Cargnelli was confirmed as manager and the most important new arrivals were Flavio Cecconi from Venezia and Sergio Piacentini from Sampdoria plus Brazilian Orlando Fantoni. Leaving the capital were Luigi Cassano and Henglebert Koenig to Sampdoria, Bruno Ispiro and Antonio Sessa to Triestina, plus Edoardo Valenti to Perugia. In the autumn transfer window, Leandro Remondini from Modena and Romano Penzo were added.

After the first half of the season Lazio were 13th with 17 points, just two points above the relegation zone. They had beaten Inter and drawn away to Juventus but had lost the derby. Manager Toni Cargnelli was sacked and replaced with Orlando Tognotti. In his first game the Biancocelesti had been slaughtered 5-2 by Milan.

The situation had then improved and the Biancocelesti were currently 10th with a five point lead on the relegation zone. Today they had to play against the invincible Great Torino who already had a ten point lead over second placed Milan.

The match

Lazio came close to a heroic feat. Historically unpredictable, the Roman side were humiliating the champions of Torino FC away from home. In the stands, there was an almost Aeschylean sense of drama in the air, and people rubbed their eyes in disbelief at what the players in Biancoceleste were producing. Then the fairy tale ended, and the change in momentum was heavily influenced by the serious injury suffered by the visitors’ best player, Flavio Cecconi. Lazio gradually lost their shape and organization, and Torino emerged, realizing that the deficit could be overturned. And so it was.

The match report begins in the 3rd minute with a deadly free kick from Leandro Remondini, awarded for a handball by Valerio Bacigalupo outside the area. The shot was brilliantly tipped away for a corner by the goalkeeper.

The Lazio players appeared completely unfazed by Torino’s famous champions. In the 4th minute, Costantino De Andreis burst forward at great speed, Mario Rigamonti lost his balance, and Sauro Tomà rushed over to help his teammate. The Lazio player evaded him and managed to pass to Aldo Puccinelli: two steps, a shot, and the ball was in the net.

In the 13th minute, there was a flowing move involving Cecconi, Romano Penzo, and Puccinelli. The latter crossed backward for Cecconi, who struck the ball. It grazed Giuseppe Grezar’s head and deceived Bacigalupo.

In the 20th minute, the Torino goalkeeper made a serious blunder. Trying to hand the ball to Grezar, he became confused and the ball bounced off his thigh. Lurking nearby was Penzo, who gathered it and made it three.

Torino were not a team to give up easily, and indeed in the 25th minute Menti crossed for Eusebio Castigliano, whose shot burned Uber Gradella’s hands.

In the 38th minute Cecconi left the field, and that event caused the lights to go out for Lazio. In the 43rd minute Franco Ossola delivered from a corner to Romeo Menti. He sent it back into the middle, sparking a scramble that Guglielmo Gabetto resolved by beating Gradella with one of his famous bicycle kicks.

Lazio — remember, now down to ten men — retreated to defend their goal, leaving only the centre-forward and the wingers up front.

The second half began with Valentino Mazzola striking the post. In the 10th minute came the equaliser: Aldo Ballarin carried the ball forward and passed to Menti, who in turn fed Ossola; the usual high cross followed, then a scramble, and finally Castigliano applied the decisive touch.

In the 16th minute, the exact same move unfolded again, but this time it was Mazzola who provided the finishing touch.

4–3 to Torino — but what a magnificent Lazio!

Who played for Torino

Bacigalupo, Ballarin, Tomà, Grezar, Rigamonti, Castigliano, Menti, Martelli, Gabetto, Mazzola, Ossola

Manager: Sperone

Who played for Lazio

Gradella, Remondini, Piacentini, Brunetti, Alzani, Del Pinto, Puccinelli, Magrini, Penzo, Cecconi, De Andreis