Serie A: Verona Suffer Relegation Blow as Lazio Cruise to 3-0 Win

Lazio moved into the top four of Serie A with a convincing 3-0 win over Verona, thanks to goals from Samuel Gigot, Boulaye Dia, and Mattia Zaccagni.

Lazio secured their first Serie A win of 2025 with a convincing 3-0 victory over Verona at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi. This triumph marked Lazio's first away win against Verona since April 2021. Mattia Zaccagni, a former Hellas Verona attacker, played a crucial role in the win, contributing two goals against his old club.

Lazio made a strong start to the game, capitalizing on a set-piece opportunity to take a 2nd-minute lead. Samuel Gigot met Mattia Zaccagni's inswinging corner with a glancing header that beat Lorenzo Montipo. This early goal boosted Lazio's confidence, and they soon doubled their advantage through Boulaye Dia. Dia expertly shifted the ball onto his left foot before finding the bottom corner, capping off a swift counter-attack.

Verona's hopes of getting back into the game were dealt a blow when Suat Serdar's header clipped the top of the crossbar just before halftime. As a result, the hosts trailed by two goals at the interval. Despite their efforts, Verona were unable to mount a comeback, and their fate was sealed when Mattia Zaccagni scored Lazio's third goal shortly before the hour mark.

Zaccagni's goal came after Boulaye Dia pounced on a loose back pass and quickly set up the Italian midfielder. Zaccagni fired in at the near post, then apologized to the Verona fans with a gesture, acknowledging his past connection with the club. This goal sealed the win for Lazio, who moved inside the Serie A top four with the comfortable victory.

Mattia Zaccagni's goal proved to be his final significant contribution to the game, as Lazio manager Marco Baroni made several substitutions with Thursday's UEFA Europa League clash against Real Sociedad in mind. Zaccagni's strike was also his first league goal since November, a welcome return to form for the Italian midfielder.

Lazio come away with a comfortable victory in Verona 🦅#VeronaLazio pic.twitter.com/PdqsBYbit5

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) January 19, 2025

Despite Lazio's changes, Verona were unable to capitalize on the opportunities presented to them. The hosts' disappointing performance was encapsulated by Ondrej Duda's late sending-off, as he received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge. This lackluster display ultimately led to Verona's fourth defeat in five home league matches, leaving them in the relegation zone.

The win propelled Lazio into the top four of the Serie A standings, as they continue to chase a Champions League spot. Paolo Zanetti's Verona, on the other hand, face an uphill battle to avoid relegation, with their current form raising concerns about their ability to stay in the top flight.