Lazio 5 Verona 2: Basement boys routed at Stadio Olimpico

Lazio ended a three-match winless streak in Serie A with a 5-2 thrashing of bottom side Verona at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday. 

Stefano Pioli’s men, who moved up a place to seventh, threatened to throw away a three-goal lead as goals from veteran Luca Toni and Leandro Greco made it 3-2 with 11 minutes to play.

However, there was still time for Balde Keita and Antonio Candreva to net at the end of an eventful second half. 

Federico Marchetti produced a fine fingertip save to deny Giampaolo Pazzini and Toni also flashed a header wide as the visitors started brightly. 

azio weathered the early pressure, though, and look the lead when Alessandro Matri made just enough space as he jostled with a defender on the left-hand side of the penalty area before firing a low shot across Pierluigi Gollini and into the net. 

Stefano Mauri tucked away Danilo Cataldi’s pull back to make 2-0 before Matri, having appeared to have strayed offside in the build-up, squared for Felipe Anderson to convert at the second attempt following a heavy first touch. 

A sublime Greco free-kick gave Verona hope that further gathered momentum when Toni showed great athleticism to stretch and steer a whipped cross beyond the wrong-footed Marchetti. 

Three minutes later, though, a Keita volley made it 4-2 before Candreva tucked away a 90th-minute penalty after Senad Lulic was felled.