Lazio wins eight-goal thriller against Benevento

Lazio has maintained their push for the top four spots in the Serie A after defeating Benevento 5-3 at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

The team’s highest goalscorer, Ciro Immobile, got a brace twice in a duel of the Inzaghi brothers. A penalty was saved in a game, and an own goal scored; it was a hugely entertaining thriller at the capital.

Unfortunately, Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi was not on the touchline as he was still at home isolating after contracting COVID-19, making his assistant Massimiliano Farris stepped in again.

Lazio opened the score chart in the 10th minute after an own goal by Fabio Depaoli. Immobile sliding in with Depaoli, but the ball took a deflection off the Benevento man and loop over on-rushing Lorenzo Montipò, making it to be awarded as an own goal.

The Italian striker finally got his first goal of the encounter after collecting a pass from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Immobile spun between two defenders before firing into the roof of the net from nine yards.

Joaquin Correa made it three in the 37th minute after Montipò wiped him out in the box.

The visitors then reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time. Correa gave the ball away cheaply to Marco Sau, who curled a stunner into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Lazio restored their three-goal lead straight after the restart. Correa tried to pull back from the by-line for Immobile to tap in, but the ball instead bounced off the goalkeeper’s leg and into the net.

Benentop conceded their third penalty of the match through Adolfo Gaich after a very clumsy high foot on Milinkovic-Savic. Montipo stopped Immobile from getting a brace as he parried the spot-kick off the Italian forward.

Benevento was then awarded a penalty after VAR spotted that Adam Marusic used his arms to wrap around Artur Ionita by not letting him jump on a corner. Nicolas Viola then converted the spot-kick by sending Pepe Reina the wrong way for 4-2.

Benevento would have reduced the deficit further to one moments later; their goal was disallowed because the reason Gianluca Lapadula had a free header was the Luca Caldirola shove on Immobile.

Le Streghe continued to push further, forcing Pepe Reina to neutralise Roberto Insigne twice. They eventually made the tie 4-3 some moments later with a Kamil Glik header from another corner.

Benevento was pouring forward for the improbable equaliser before Lazio Marco Parolo broke on the counter to allow Immobile to score one-on-one.

In other games, Atalanta defeated Juventus 1-0, Torino won Roma by a 3-1 scoreline, while Napoli and Inter Milan played a 1-1 draw.