Lazio appease fans with dominant Chievo win

Posted Monday, September 16, 2013 by Foxsports.com

Lazio's players responded to an organised protest from disgruntled fans in the best way possible by strolling to a dominant 3-0 victory over Chievo in Rome.

Biancoceleste supporters expressed their disappointment over the club's perceived failures in the summer transfer market by leaving the Curva Nord empty for the start of Sunday's game.

A move for Galatasaray's Burak Yilmaz broke down before Libor Kozak was sold to Aston Villa, leaving Miroslav Klose as Lazio's only recognised striker, but first-half strikes from Antonio Candreva, Luis Cavanda and Senad Lulic proved there are goals throughout the team.

The capital club have now taken six points from three Serie A games while Chievo are yet to win a game.
There was an unpleasant atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico before kick-off with only the occasional smoke bomb permeating an eerie silence in the stands.

Chievo dominated the first kicks but Lazio managed to score with their first attack in the eighth minute.

Ederson won the ball in the visitors' half before supplying Candreva down the right, with the Italy international's finish taking a helpful deflection off Gennardo Sardo to beat Christian Puggioni.

Chievo responded well, though, and they enjoyed two gilt-edged chances in the 35th minute.

Federico Marchetti smothered a fierce drive from Alberto Paloschi but looked on helplessly as Cyril Thereau stormed on to the loose ball, only for a defender to make the crucial block.

Lazio punished that profligacy with two more goals before the break and Cavanda was first up with a sliding finish at the far post after Puggioni failed to deal with Emmanuel Ledesma's cross.

Four minutes later, Lulic made it three as he cut in from the left to drag the ball across the stranded Puggioni and into the far corner.

Chievo had avoided defeat on seven consecutive visits to Lazio but a second-half comeback seemed unlikely at half-time.

A quick goal after the break would certainly have helped and it nearly arrived in stylish fashion through Paloschi.

When Cavanda gifted the ball to substitute Marcelo Estigarribia, the Paraguayan's half-volleyed effort landed with Paloschi, who could not quite find the back of the net with an audacious back-heeled shot.
On another afternoon Lazio might have sought to close out the game but, perhaps with a view to winning over disgruntled supporters, they continued to turn the screw on Chievo.

Lulic's powerful shot on a loose ball forced a smart stop from Puggioni before Klose tested the visiting keeper with a bullet header.

And Puggioni stood firm for a third time when Ogenyi Onazi took aim from the middle of the box.

Chievo did not deserve a consolation goal and they would not get one - with Marchetti producing a firm stop on Paloschi's speculative header six minutes from time.