Lazio maintained their perfect start in the Italian football league, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over guests Parma on Saturday at the "Olimpico" stadium, in the eighth round of the competition.
Temporary leadership
Under the guidance of coach Gennaro Gattuso, Lazio increased their tally to 21 points, temporarily topping the standings by three points ahead of second-placed Inter Milan, who host Fiorentina on Sunday. Meanwhile, Parma remained stuck on 4 points in 19th and last place.
Parma's strong start
Parma began the match strongly, threatening the home side's goal on several occasions. Greek goalkeeper Christos Mandas saved a low shot from Argentine David Romero, before his compatriot Mariano Troilo missed another chance with a header from close range.
As time progressed, Lazio improved their performance and intensified their attacking efforts. David Frattesi appealed for a penalty after falling inside the penalty area under pressure from Mariano Troilo, before Danish player Gustav Isaksen hit the post with a close-range header.
In the 41st minute, Lazio believed they had opened the scoring when Isaksen converted a precise pass from Tijjani Noslin into the net, but the goal was disallowed after Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review for offside.
Second half goals
In the second half, the home side continued their attacking pressure. Dutch player Kenneth Taylor opened the scoring in the 50th minute with a powerful left-footed shot from outside the penalty area that settled in the bottom corner, scoring his first goal of the season.
Lazio did not wait long to extend their lead, adding a second goal in the 58th minute when Parma defender Diego Carlos accidentally directed a cross from Nuno Tavares into his own net inside the penalty area.
As Lazio appeared close to securing the match without difficulty in the final minutes, substitute Simone Lonfanti managed to reduce the deficit for Parma by scoring in the fifth minute of stoppage time. He scored with a left-footed shot from a difficult angle outside the penalty area, following a decisive pass from Giovanni Fabbian.
Despite Parma's late goal, Lazio maintained their lead until the final whistle, earning three valuable points and continuing their temporary top position in the Italian league standings.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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