Lazio beat Hellas Verona 5-2 on Thursday night in Serie A.
Alessandro Matri opened the scoring just before the break. The second half then saw a number of goals as Stefano Mauri and Felipe Anderson netted to make it 3-0. Leandro Greco and Luca Toni then set up the chance of an unlikely comeback by making it 3-2 only for Keita Balde Diao to score for the hosts soon after. Antonio Candreva then put the cherry on top from the penalty spot at the death.
Lazio came close in the 10th minute as Stefano Mauri nodded the ball across the face of goal to Alessandro Matri who poked wide at point-blank range.
Verona threatened in the 23rd minute after Lazio failed to clear a free kick and Giampaolo Pazzini forced a good save from Federico Marchetti down low with a diving header.
The Biancocelesti started to take the upper hand but they were unable to create much of note.
Danilo Cataldi tested Pierluigi Gollini in the 36th minute with a bouncing shot from outside the area but the young goalkeeper was equal to it.
Matri opened the scoring in the final minute of the first half with a scrappy finish after getting the ball ahead of Eros Pisano and his weak shot rolled agonisingly beyond Gollini.
Stefano Mauri doubled the home side’s lead in the 49th minute as a Danilo Cataldi cutback found the veteran with enough time and space to finish comfortably.
Lazio almost gave Verona a goal after Wesley Hoedt turned a weak off-target Artur Ionita shot onto his own bar on the hour.
The Aquile made it 3-0 in the 69th minute after Verona failed to clear their lines and Felipe Anderson was there to tap into an open goal following a cutback from the left.
The Gialloblu got one back in the 72nd minute and it was an attractive goal as Leandro Greco curled a free kick around the wall and into the top corner.
Luca Toni made it interesting in the 78th minute as he bullied Hoedt out of his way to finish on the volley at close range from a Pawel Wszolek cross.
Keita ended the away side’s hope of a comeback after Romulo lost the ball in the middle of the pitch and Miroslav Klose fed the substitute who finished excellently on the volley.
Antonio Candreva had an opportunity score a fifth in the 89th minute from the penalty spot and he took it despite Gollini diving the right way.
The result sends Lazio to seventh while Hellas stay bottom and nine points off safety.
