Lazio continue Champions League push with comfortable win over Spezia

This match saw two teams at polar opposite ends in the table, with Spezia battling to secure their league status for a fourth consecutive campaign and Lazio in the midst of a dog-fight to finish in the top-four.

It was Leonardo Semplici’s side that seized the early initiative inside the opening two minutes, as Daniele Verde and Albin Ekdal linked up well to provide a chance for Mehdi Bourabia, whose shot cannoned off the crossbar.

Bourabia then turned provider for M'Bala Nzola, but the Angola international’s downward header sailed agonisingly wide.

However, the hosts would come to rue those missed chances when referee Massimiliano Irrati pointed to the spot after Ethan Ampadu brought down Felipe Anderson in the box.

Following a review from the VAR, the decision stood and Ciro Immobile dispatched the subsequent spot-kick to put Lazio in front.

Maurizio Sarri’s men should have doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time, but Immobile horribly miscued his finish from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s cross and ensured Lazio only had a slender lead at the interval.

The Serbian wouldn’t be made to rue that miss, as Anderson scored the Eagles’ second goal at the end of a superbly worked breakaway involving Immobile and Luis Alberto with a close-range strike, in what was the Brazilian’s first Serie A goal since January.

There were limited forays forward for the Bianchi, but Lazio stopper Ivan Provedel was called into action to push away Ekdal’s effort after the Swede latched onto Nzola’s pass.

A disappointing evening for Spezia was compounded when Ampadu was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Mattia Zaccagni and the hosts ended the game with 10 men.

Marcos Antonio added extra gloss to the scoreline late on, who showed brilliant composure to slot the ball home for his first Serie A goal and wrap up the scoring.

A sixth consecutive Serie A victory against Spezia left Sarri’s side sitting pretty in second, eight points clear of city rivals Roma ahead of their match against Udinese on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Semplici suffered a second league defeat as Spezia boss amid a run that has seen the Liguria outfit win only one of their last 12 Serie A matches, and they remain in 17th.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Felipe Anderson (Lazio)

Check out all the match stats and player ratings with Flashscore.