The Cup opposed Roma and Torino. This year the rules were changed – after years of single final, now two legs were introduced. Current form rarely matters at finals – Torino was not at its best, but for the final they were more than ready. So Roma and there was no winner – both legs ended 1-1.
First Leg (13/6/81)
Roma – Torino 1-1
Roma: Tancredi; V. Romano, Maggiora; Turone, Falcao, Santarini; B.
Conti, Di Bartolomei, Faccini, Ancelotti, Scarnecchia. All.:
Liedholm.
Torino: Terraneo; Cuttone, Salvadori; Volpati, Danova, Zaccarelli (28′
Davin); Bertoneri, Pecci, Graziani, Sclosa, Pulici (67′
D’Amico). All.: Cazzaniga.
Referee: Pieri di Genova.
Goals: 31′ Ancelotti (R), 59′ aut. Santarini (T).
Second Leg (17/6/81)
Torino – Roma 1-1 (3-5 penalty)
Torino:Terraneo; Cuttone, Volpati; P. Sala, Danova, Zaccarelli (98’Davin); Bertoneri, Pecci, Graziani, Sclosa, Pulici (75’Salvadori). Coach.: Cazzaniga.
Roma:Tancredi; V. Romano, Maggiora; Turone (120′ Santarini),Falcao, Bonetti; B. Conti, Di Bartolomei, Pruzzo (46’Birigozzi), Ancelotti, Scarnecchia. Coach: Liedholm.
Referee: Michelotti di Parma.
Goals: 37′ Cuttone (T), 62′ Di Bartolomei (penalty) (R).
The winner had to be decided by penalty shoot-out and only now Roma prevailed – 5-3.
Losing finalists. Standing from left: Cuttone, Mariani, Terraneo, Zaccarelli, Danova, Van de Korput.
Crouching: Pulici, Sclosa, Ferri, Dossena, Beruatto.
Perhaps unlucky, for shoot-outs are always a matter of luck, but Torino had a bit weaker team than Roma. This is not a photo from the Cup final – the Dutch national team defender Van de Korput missed the final – but close enough. A bit aging – Zaccarelli, Pulici – a bit thin. ‘A bit’ could be too much when a trophy is at stake.
Up and coming Roma – still number 2 in Italy: no title, but a second consecutive Cup. Second row, from left: Amenta, Turone, Falcao, Spinosi, De Nadai, Di Bartolomei.
First row: Pruzzo, Santarini, Conti, Ancelotti, Tancredi.
Well, 4th Cup for Roma – not bad at all and still a hungry team. Well made too – some oldish players, who were either not needed anymore in their former clubs (Spinosi) or quite unable to made it where they played previously (Tancredi, Turone) flourished in Roma, adding their skills to established stars like Pruzzo and Di Bartolomei, and younger bright players like Conti and Ancelotti. Falcao was perfect buy – Roma not only got a world class star, but key addition to the team: Falcao immediately became the motor of his new club. A team for greater victories than Italian cup was assembled already.
Happy with the Cup and getting used to posing with just won trophy – the best years in the history of AS Roma were going on.