Lazio’s derby delight

Roma could’ve caught Inter in fourth place with a win, but Lazio instead put themselves right back in the Champions League race with a dominant 3-0 Derby della Capitale victory.

Correa’s strong run got Juan Jesus booked within five minutes and that proved instrumental on the opening goal, because the defenders backed off Correa and the slide-rule pass released Caicedo, who took two touches to go around Robin Olsen and deposit into the empty net.

Thomas Strakosha got down quickly for a one-handed save on Edin Dzeko’s effort from the edge of the box, while Bastos marked the Bosnian closely as he chested down a Federico Fazio cross.

After the restart, there were no substitutions, but Lorenzo Pellegrini was pushed further forward for a 4-2-3-1 formation. Nicolò Zaniolo’s control and volley whistled wide from the edge of the box on a poor clearance.

Roma continued to look shaky in defence, Caicedo going down after some confusion between Fazio and Olsen. Stephan El Shaarawy’s snapshot was pushed round the post, then Zaniolo nutmegged a player to surge forward, but the finish was deflected off Francesco Acerbi into the arms of Strakosha.

During that move, Zaniolo hurt his hip and made way for Diego Perotti, while Immobile was risked for the final half-hour along with Javier Pastore.

Florenzi almost got Roma on level terms with a stunning long-range strike that was dipping and swerving viciously, as Strakosha flew to palm it out from under the bar with his trailing hand.

Roma wasted a golden opportunity moments later, as Dzeko knocked down the corner, but Pastore and Pellegrini got in each others’ way, the Argentine firing inches wide.

It proved a costly error, be- cause Correa was sent clear by an Immobile ball over the top and Fazio, who had been poor all night, tripped him up for a penalty. Immobile converted with the spot-kick squirming under Olsen’s arm into the near bottom corner to double Lazio’s lead.

It still wasn’t over, as Lazio added a third with substitute Danilo Cataldi. It was a wellworked team move with Milinkovic-Savic knocking it back for Cataldi’s powerful finish from the edge of the area, but it bent back Olsen’s gloves to go in. The Lazio youth product celebrated wildly by whipping off his shirt and running towards the stands.

The tension got to Roma, as Dzeko and Radu were booked for a row, sparking a scuffle in which Aleksandar Kolarov was also carded. Less than a minute later, Kolarov received a second yellow card for a mere nudge on Immobile and it could not be viewed via VAR, as that only applies to straight reds or mistaken identity. It was the 34th dismissal in a Derby della Capitale since 1994-95.

AC MILAN MOVE THIRD

In the other matches yesterday, Gennaro Gattuso’s Milan had to struggle against Sassuolo at San Siro.

Milan won the match 1-0 with a Musacchio deflected header in the first half.

Sassuolo played for much of the second half with a man less, but still put Milan under pressure as the Rossoneri’s performance left much to be desired.

However it was a precious victory for the seven-times european champions who move to third place, moving just above neighbours and great rivals Inter, whom tehy face in the Derby Della Madonnina in two weeks time.

In the other match of the afternoon Empoli and Parma shared six goals in a spectacular 3-3 draw.

Lazio’s Ciro Immobile celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal