Milan , 19 October (H.S.): Lazio produced an impressive performance to defeat hosts Juventus 3-0 in Italy’s Serie A on Sunday, drawing level on points with league leaders Inter Milan. Lazio occupy second place on goal difference. Meanwhile, AC Milan edged Atalanta 3-2, while Como defeated Fiorentina 3-1 away from home to climb to fifth place in the standings.

Lazio have collected 19 points from their first seven league matches, marking the club’s best-ever start to a Serie A season. Their previous best was 17 points from the opening seven matches of the 1999-2000 campaign, when Lazio went on to win their second and, to date, last Serie A title.

Lazio coach Gennaro Gattuso said, “We could prove to be a team that performs unexpectedly well in this league, but we must not change our approach. We need to continue working hard and treat every match individually.”

Lazio Dominate as Juventus’ Troubles Deepen

Lazio took control of the contest with two goals from their Danish players. Oliver Provstgaard opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a superb header, giving the visitors the lead.

In the 66th minute, Gustav Isaksen carried the ball inside before producing a precise finish to double Lazio’s advantage.

Three minutes before the final whistle, substitute Fisayo Dele-Bashiru collected the ball in his own half and embarked on a long run into Juventus’ penalty area before finishing brilliantly to complete the 3-0 victory.

Juventus supporters expressed their frustration with the team’s performance. The club have managed just one victory in their last five league matches and are currently eighth in the standings. The gap between Juventus and the league leaders has widened to eight points.

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti admitted that his side had been outplayed.

“We were clearly inferior to the opposition. Our game lacked pace and ideas. It is difficult to understand,” he said.

AC Milan Claim Thrilling Victory

AC Milan secured fourth place in the standings after defeating Atalanta 3-2 at home. Milan established a two-goal lead in the first half, with Gonzalo Ramos converting a penalty in the 24th minute before Adrien Rabiot added the second goal before half-time.

Mario Gila scored in the 57th minute to extend Milan’s lead to 3-0. Atalanta attempted to fight their way back into the contest, reducing the deficit through goals from Gianluca Gaetano and Nikola Krstovic. However, Milan held on to secure all three points.

Rabiot said, “We usually struggle at the beginning of matches and play better in the second half. Today, it was the opposite. We need to find the right balance, but these three points are extremely important for our season.”

Como Beat Fiorentina

Como climbed to fifth place after securing a 3-1 victory over Fiorentina away from home. Mattia Liberali and Nico Paz scored in the first half to give Como an advantage.

Marin Pongracic pulled one back for Fiorentina just before half-time, raising hopes of a comeback for the hosts.

However, Anastasios Douvikas scored Como’s third goal shortly after the interval, restoring their two-goal cushion and sealing the victory.

The defeat left Fiorentina in the relegation zone with four points. Como, meanwhile, registered their first victory since mid-September.

Como coach Cesc Fabregas said, “We played a good match in every respect. The style of football we play involves risks. No tactical approach is ever completely perfect.”

Earlier, Lecce recorded a convincing 3-0 away victory over Udinese. Kialonda Gaspar, Konan N’Dri and Jamil Siebert scored to secure a comfortable win for Lecce.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar