Felipe Anderson's first-half brace fires Lazio to three-goal win over Salernitana
Despite losing four of their previous five home league games, Lazio started strongly and were ahead inside just seven minutes, as Felipe Anderson won the ball high up the pitch before dribbling and tucking away his fourth goal this season.
Taty Castellanos, filling in for the absent Ciro Immobile, almost doubled Lazio’s lead moments later, only to be denied by Benoit Costil from close range after being fed by Luis Alberto.
It did not take long for the dominant hosts to score again however, as Matias Vecino was first to react from a corner following Castellanos’ flick-on to double their advantage.
However, Salernitana pulled one back almost immediately with their first attack through Loum Tchaouna, who headed in his third league goal of the campaign.
Now armed with momentum, Salernitana’s Domagoj Bradaric then saw his effort spilt by Christos Mandas as the Serie A basement boys threatened an unlikely comeback.
Nonetheless, Anderson restored Lazio’s two-goal advantage before half-time, neatly slotting home his second of the game after Alberto put him through.
The Brazilian should have scored a first career hat-trick early in the second half, but could only blaze over after Daichi Kamada found him free in the box. Anderson then turned provider for Alberto on the hour-mark, only for the midfielder’s shot to be saved by Costil. T
he hosts dominated the latter stages and added a fourth when substitute Gustav Isaksen drilled the ball into the bottom corner to net his first goal since January.
That added the icing on the cake for Lazio, while Salernitana remain 12 points from safety, and with the worst goals conceded record in Serie A extended tonight, look almost certainties for relegation.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Felipe Anderson (Lazio)