Ciro Immobile and Luis Alberto got Lazio back on track in Serie A, while both teams hit the woodwork in a 2-0 win over Verona.
The Biancocelesti had Danilo Cataldi suspended and Pedro injured following Thursday’s 4-2 Europa League win over Feyenoord, so Marcos Antonio got his first start. Hellas got their first win of the season against Sampdoria and a full squad to choose from.
Mattia Zaccagni ran onto a Sergej Milinkovic-Savic pass and pulled it back from the by-line, but Ciro Immobile sliding in just failed to get there, then Adam Marusic’s scorcher was deflected just over.
Lorenzo Montipò was right behind a Milinkovic-Savic strike on the turn, but the goalkeeper excelled himself by fingertipping a Toma Basic rocket onto the upright.
Verona lost midfield maestro Miguel Veloso after a knock to the torso left him struggling to breathe, making way for Adrien Tameze.
Manuel Lazzari scuffed the angled drive off target, when he perhaps should’ve rolled across for Immobile or Zaccagni.
In first half stoppages, Verona also hit the frame of the goal, a Thomas Henry volley into the ground bounced up and off the top of the crossbar.
Federico Ceccherini made a crucial interception on Felipe Anderson and Luis Alberto came off the bench to drill inches wide after combining with Adam Marusic and Immobile.
The deadlock was broken when Milinkovic-Savic whipped in a ball from the right, it bounced in the six-yard box and found Immobile for a header at the back post.
Immobile could’ve had a second, but fired straight at the goalkeeper when sent clear by a long Luis Alberto clearance, then Montipò stuck out a foot to deny Matteo Cancellieri at the near post on another Milinkovic-Savic assist.
Cancellieri did have the ball in the net on an Immobile pass, waltzing around Montipò, but only after he was flagged offside.
With the last kick of the game, Luis Alberto drilled low into the near bottom corner from the edge of the box, through a defender’s legs after a little shimmy to find the space.
Lazio 2-0 Verona
Immobile 68 (L), Luis Alberto 95 (L)