::The Pride of Rome:: -source - (www.lazioclubmalta.com)
In the season 1913-1914, Lazio dominated once again the "Girone Laziale " of the centre -south League, winning all ten matches, thus qualifying for the semi-finals of the centre-south league, scoring fifty-two goals, conceding only five
In the semis Lazio won both matches against Spes Livorno (3-0 1-0) while in the final it thrashed Naples (1-0 8-0) to win the centre-south league. This permitted Lazio to dispute two-leg the national title final against northern league winners Casale.
Lazio traveled to Casale to play the first leg on the 5th July. The difference between the two sides was evident and Casale won easily 7-1 and virtually won the title. The second leg in Rome was just a formality and Casale won again 2-0. In that season, Lazio managed to win the Pasqua Cup beating both Bologna and Modena 1-0.
In the following season, Roman reinforced itself in order to overshadow Lazio supremacy in the centre-south league. Infact Roman came first in the "Girone Laziale " with Lazio as runner-up. In the direct encounters between the two clubs Lazio lost the first match 5-2 but won the second 4-0. The final standings were Roman 18, Lazio 15, Audace 11, Fortitudo 6 , Pro Roma & Juventus Roma 5. This permitted both clubs to qualify for the semifinals (played on group basis) along with two Tuscany teams, Pisa and Lucca.
Lazio lost the first match against Pisa 4-0 but won the other matches against Lucca 2-1, against city rivals Roman 2-1 and 5-1 and against Pisa 4-2. With one game left aginst bottom club Lucca, the standings were: Lazio 8, Pisa and Roman 6, Lucca 0. Lazio was just 90 minutes away its third final against the glorious side of Genoa 1893.
However, the First World War set off and the league was interrupted just ten days before the final. A high number of S.S. Lazio athletes, from various sports disciplines, went at the front to fight for their country, many of which never returned home.
During the First World War period (1915-1919) football in Rome did not stop. A revolutionized S.S.Lazio's football team won the Roman League with just one point ahead of Fortitudo. It also lifted the Natale Cup after beating Pro Roma 2-1 and Juventus Roma 4-1. In 1919, it won the Pasqua Cup beating the US Romana 2-1 and Fortitudo 3-2.
In the post war period, the Roman football scene was dominated by Fortitudo, which managed to reach twice the final of the national league, but as had happened previously to Lazio, lost in both occasions gaianst the stronger Northern opponent.
In the season 1922-23, the club of Alba were the favourites to qualify from the "Girone Laziale" but against all odds, it was Lazio that finished first, thus going through to the semi-finals where it eliminated Internaples, Libertas Palermo, Ideale Bari and Savoia to reach once again the national final against Genoa 1893. Lazio however could not go through the last hard obstacle and lost 4-1 in Genoa and 2-0 in Rome.
In the summer of 1923, Lazio signed Ezio Sclavi as a goalkeeper after being discovered by a talent scout. Sclavi gave a decisive contribution to Lazio in the "Girone Laziale" season 1923/24, where the light blues finished runners-up together with Fortitudo, subsequently qualifying for the semi-finals of the centre-south league after winning the decider 2-0.In the semis , Lazio finished runner-up to Savoia thus failing to reach the national final.
In the 1924-1925 Lazio coached by the Hungarian Koszegi, Lazio finished second in the "Girone Laziale" behind Alba and winning a place in the semi-finals Centre-south League. In a thrilling group, Lazio ended first alongside Anconitana, but lost the decisve decider and the "Marchegiani" accessed to the national final. During that season Lazio's emerging talent Fulvio Bernardini, earned a called with the Italian national team, becoming the first ever Roman player to play with the "Azzurri". His performances attracted Inter Milan who signed him at the end of the season.
In the following season, the Italian League Association changed the leagues format. The first Italian national League was formed. Each club had to play in eliminatory regional groups to qualify to this elite league. Lazio, played in the " Girone Romano" and ended in a disappointing third place. This meant that in the coming season Lazio had to play in the newly Italian division one, while the first two roman clubs qualified for the new Italian Premier League composed of the best Italian clubs.
This first division was subdivided in four groups, of which only the winner was secured a promotion to the premier league. Lazio had a good season and won its group in front of Liberty Bari, thus obtaining promotion.
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