This Week In Lazio History: June 16-22 | OneFootball

The week of June 16-22 in Lazio history is characterised by Lazio-Vicenza and Giuliano Fiorini’s goal seven minutes from time plus several promotions.

Matches of the Week

Date: Sunday, June 16, 1963 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Pro Patria 2-0 Lazio beat Pro Patria and are promoted to Serie A

Date: Sunday, June 18, 1972 Venue: Stadio della Vittoria, Bari Fixture: Bari Lazio 0-0 Lazio collect the necessary point and return to Serie A after just one season.

Date: Sunday, June 19, 1988 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Taranto 3-1 Lazio beat Taranto and after three years make it back to Serie A.

Date: Saturday, June 21, 1958 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Roma Lazio 2-3, Coppa Italia A thrilling game rewards the Biancocelesti who edge nearer qualification to the Coppa Italia quarterfinals.

Date: Sunday, June 22, 1969 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Reggiana 1-1 The Biancocelesti pick up a point and win Serie B.

Match In Focus

Date: Sunday, June 21, 1987 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Vicenza 1-0

There were seven minutes to go and Lazio were virtually in Serie C.

The Biancocelesti had been given an unjust nine-point docking at the beginning of the season all due to a vague reply on the phone from Claudio Vinazzani. He had arrived in 1983 after many years at Napoli and when asked by a friend whether he wanted to “arrange” a couple of wins for Lazio his answer was non-committal. Nothing else happened, but the club were de facto relegated because of this. An overzealous journalist then spilt the beans before it was official and the punishment was changed to a -9 start in the following season. One must remember that at the time there were still only two points for victory.

Manager Eugenio Fascetti had told the players “This is the situation. You can leave, and it would be perfectly normal if you did, or stay and fight. Decide”. All the players stayed.

Lazio did so well that at one point they were closer to the promotion race than the relegation battle, but in the second half of the season, the stress took its toll and the team started to lose ground. With one match to go Cagliari were already in Serie C, Lazio and Taranto were on 31 points, and Campobasso, Sambenedettese, Vicenza and Catania on 32. Last games of the season Bari-Sambenedettese, Messina-Campobasso, Taranto-Genoa, Cesena-Catania, Lazio-Vicenza.

Even a win may not be enough.

With Lazio in Serie C, would the new ownership of the club continue, or would they throw in the towel? Probably the latter.

The game meant life or death for Lazio and the fans filled the Stadio Olimpico a long time before kick-off. When the players came out two hours before the start, they could not believe their eyes. The Olimpico was packed. Everybody had brought a flag or a scarf and the Stadium was completely light blue and white.

The Biancocelesti played their best game of the season creating numerous chances, but Vicenza goalkeeper Ennio Dal Bianco played the match of his life and saved everything, even the air. With seven minutes to go, it was still 0-0. Then the Gods who support Lazio did their magic.

In the 83rd minute, Antonio Acerbis with a throw-in, ball to Fabio Poli back to Acerbis, cross into the box cleared by the defence. Vincenzo Esposito to Gabriele Podavini on the right who tried the 200th shot of the day. He miskicked it and it became a low cross. Giuliano Fiorini got the ball, spun around and shot. Goallllllllllll!!!!!!!!

Delirium!!! Tears of relief, some fans literally felt ill and collapsed. Medics were called. Legend has it that people on the nearby bridge on the Tiber felt the earth shake. Neutral commentators suddenly became hardcore fans and burst into tears. Vicenza did not have anything left and the game finished 1-0 for Lazio.

Final verdict: Vicenza, Catania and Cagliari in Serie C, Lazio, Campobasso and Taranto to a playoff. It was not over yet.

In Memory: Romano Penzo

Romano Penzo was born in Chioggia (Venice) on April 8 1920. He started playing football in the Rovigo youth teams and made it up to the first team in 1938-39. A year later he signed for Fiorentina in Serie A and stayed until the beginning of the Second World War. He then played for Milan and Varese during the war.

In 1945 he joined Inter and had his most successful year scoring 18 goals, five of which in a single match against Genoa, a joint record shared with Giuseppe Meazza and Guglielmo Gabetto. He signed for Brescia in 1946-47 and had another prolific year with 14 goals.

Penzo joined Lazio in 1947 and stayed for three seasons. A strong, powerful, acrobatic centre forward, he was an excellent player. He played 91 games for Lazio and scored 36 goals.

After leaving Lazio he joined Fiorentina again but played very little. He later played for minor teams and quit football in 1955.

Romano Penzo died in Turin on June 22 1991.

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