Ciro Immobile scored a first half hat-trick, despite seeing a penalty saved, as Lazio came back from an early goal to demolish Spezia 6-1.
The Aquile made a strong debut under new coach Maurizio Sarri, beating Empoli 3-1 away, and began life after selling Joaquin Correa to Inter. Luiz Felipe was injured, so Patric stepped into defence. Spezia fumbled a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Cagliari last week, still missing Leo Sena, Arkadiusz Reca and M’Bala Nzola.
Just like against Empoli last week, Lazio went behind to the very first attack, in this case Emanuel Gyasi burst down the left and his strike was parried by Pepe Reina into the path of Daniele Verde for a tap-in.
Again in a repeat of the opening game, the Biancocelesti bit back immediately, as Spezia lost it cheaply in midfield and Ciro Immobile dinked his finish over the goalkeeper on a Pedro assist.
Immobile also completed the turnaround by the 15th minute, hitting it first time from the edge of the box as Luis Alberto just laid off the Felipe Anderson pass.
Pedro’s effort was parried on the Felipe Anderson counter, but Lazio lost Manuel Lazzari to a calf injury just 25 minutes in.
Jeroen Zoet again came to Spezia’s rescue as Pedro tried to complete a give-and-go with Felipe Anderson, but the drama continued on the stroke of half-time.
First VAR was used to ascertain that Martin Erlic had gone in with a high foot on Pedro, then Immobile stepped up for the penalty, only for Zoet to save one-handed. However, Immobile did complete his first-half hat-trick by nodding in the resulting corner at the back post.
The second half had barely kicked off before the situation deteriorated for Spezia, as Felipe Anderson got in front of Kelvin Amian to flick on a Pepe Reina long ball, turning to sprint at the goal and drill home. The visitors were furious, as they felt Anderson’s foot was high.
Amian’s nightmare with the Brazilian continued, receiving a straight red card for hauling Felipe Anderson down on the counter-attack.
Pedro stung Zoet’s gloves, but the fifth came when Luis Alberto threaded through to send Elseid Hysaj clear.
Luis Alberto got his deserved goal eventually, a right-foot daisy-cutter into the far bottom corner from the D.
Lazio 6-1 Spezia
Verde 4 (S), Immobile 5, 15, 45 (L), Felipe Anderson 47 (L), Hysaj 70 (L), Luis Alberto 85 (L)
Saved penalty: Immobile 45 (L)
Sent off: Amian 54 (S)
KingCiro that’s all I have to say, not Cicero, Ciro.
Man said can’t play under Sarri.🙄
Tell me Bastos is on loan, he would be Koulibaly 2.0 on my life.
Juve should have retuned Sarri and not Allegri