Referee loses rule book
- Dag Jenkins
- Feb 5, 2024
- 4 min read
Game 19, Serie A
Sunday, February 5, 1967
Stadio Comunale, Turin
Torino Lazio 1-1
Good away point but Lazio upset about unfairly chalked off goal
The season started with a 1-5 away defeat to Fiorentina. A sign of things to come. Since then Lazio had won 3 (including Inter 1-0 at home), drawn 8 (including Milan 2-2 away, Juventus and Torino both 0-0 at home) and lost 6 (including derby 0-1). Lazio were currently joint 14th, with Vicenza on 14 points, sharing the last relegation slot. The main problem, and not a minor one, was scoring goals, only 11 in 18 games. A week earlier the Biancocelesti had drawn 0-0 at home to Fiorentina.
So far, Torino were joint 9th, on 18 points with Mantova. The Granata had won 4 (including Atalanta 6-1), drawn 10 (including Lazio and derby 0-0) and lost 4. Their most recent result was a 0-0 draw at SPAL.
An uncertain outcome today. Both sides were not impartial to draws and neither scored much; Lazio 11 and Torino 15 (including six against Atalanta). A tight match was expected.
The match
A cold and slightly foggy day with about 15,000 spectators at the Comunale.
Lazio played without defender Diego Zanetti and midfielder Rino Marchesi while Toro were missing forward Carlo Facchin.
The two sides played a similar style, a strong defence and quick counterattacks.
Lazio threatened first with a Paolo Carosi shot which Lido Vieri saved with some difficulty and then a Vito D'Amato initiative was blocked by a sturdy last-ditch tackle by Bruno Bolchi.
In the 16th minute Idilio Cei was called into action for the first time by a Giorgio Ferrini effort.
Lazio then set up a good counterattack which resulted in Alberto Mari crossing and D'Amato getting a header in but Vieri parried, the ball then reached Romano Bagatti who crossed again to Carosi but his shot was just off target.
In the 28th minute a freekick by Mari from an inviting position went just over the bar.
In the 32nd minute Toro responded with a Nestor Combin shot but Cei touched it behind for a corner.
In the 40th minute Lazio scored, with a superb solo effort by D'Amato. The Apulian forward received the ball from Carosi on the halfway line, darted forward past Ferrini, weaved his way past Cesare Maldini and then approaching the penalty spot fired a shot into the corner, 0-1.
A great goal but the Roman visitors' lead did not last long. In the 43rd minute Antonio Maggioni was judged to have fouled Combin just inside the box and the referee had no doubts and pointed to the penalty spot. Gigi Meroni scored with a precise spot kick to Cei's right, 1-1.
A pity as Lazio had played very well and would have deserved to be leading.
Things changed in the second half as Lazio tired and the home Granata attacked more.
Cei was kept busy on a low Meroni strike and then was superb on a Combin header.
In the 57th minute Maggioni relieved the pressure by charging forward alone but then shot high.
Toro then continued to attack but the next only real danger came in the 76th minute. Combin took a free kick which came off the wall but then fell to Ferrini who hit a powerful and angled shot which Cei did well to get to.
In the 81st minute came an extremely controversial episode. Juan Carlos Morrone put a clever through ball to D'Amato who ran forward but was obstructed by a Natalino Fossati handball at the edge of the area, the ball came back to D'Amato who hammered it past Vieri. A goal due to the advantage rule? Not for the referee who went back and awarded the Biancocelesti a freekick.
In the last few minutes Torino then had two chances to clinch the two points. First with a Combin shot and then with a close-range Giorgio Puia header on which Cei was nothing short of miraculous. Full time: Torino 1 Lazio 1.
A fair draw in the end. Lazio had been on top in the first half and Torino in the second but Lazio had regrets for the unjust disallowing of their potential winner. Nevertheless, a positive point for the Biancocelesti.
Lazio's best players had been Cei in goal, Pierluigi Pagni in defence, Mari in midfield and D'Amato up front.
Lazio were now joint 13th, on 15 points with SPAL. The Biancocelesti were one point above the drop zone, Vicenza on 14.
Torino were still joint 9th, on 19 points with Mantova.
Who played for Torino
Manager: Rocco
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Neri
Referee: Carminati
Goals: 40' D'Amato, 43' Meroni (pen)
Sources
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