Serie A: Contentious penalty sparks Lazio comeback win over Fiorentina

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Lazio's Ciro Immobile scores the penalty against Fiorentina late on Saturday night. - Reuters
Lazio's Ciro Immobile scores the penalty against Fiorentina late on Saturday night. - Reuters

Rome/Milan - Felipe Caicedo went down under a challenge from goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski but replays suggested that he fell before any contact was made

By Reuters/AFP

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Published: Mon 29 Jun 2020, 1:54 AM

Serie A leading scorer Ciro Immobile converted a contentious second-half penalty to set second-placed Lazio on the way to a 2-1 comeback win over Fiorentina that kept them four points behind leaders Juventus on Saturday. 
Franck Ribery stunned the hosts when the 37-year-old Frenchman put Fiorentina ahead with a solo goal in the 25th minute, slipping between two defenders, then gliding past a third before firing past Thomas Strakosha. 
Lazio were struggling to find a way past Fiorentina's defence until Felipe Caicedo went down under a challenge from goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski and Immobile converted his 28th goal of the season from the spot in the 67th minute. 
However, replays suggested that Caicedo fell before any contact was made. Luis Alberto grabbed the winner with seven minutes left, scoring with a low shot to leave Lazio with 65 points from 28 games with Juve on 69.

Zenga's magic touch

New Cagliari coach Walter Zenga hailed "an important" victory as the Sardinians kept their Europa League hopes alive with a 4-2 victory over Torino.
Cagliari had been on a run of four consecutive defeats until former Italy international goalkeeper Zenga took over before the coronavirus lockdown in early March.
After beating SPAL on their return, Zenga's side clinched back-to-back wins and their first victory over Torino in nearly seven years.
"It's an important victory," said Zenga after his first victory at the Sardegna Arena.
"The players are starting to have fun again."
Uruguayan international Nahitan Nandez opened the scoring after 12 minutes for the hosts with Charalampos Lykogiannis setting up Giovanni Simeone to tap in a second, confirmed after a VAR review six minutes later.
Immediately after the break, Belgian star Radja Nainggolan broke through, rifling in an impressive third from outside the penalty area.
Torino hit back with goals from Brazilian Bremer on the hour mark and captain Andrea Belotti off a corner on 66 minutes.
But Joao Pedro restored Cagliari's two-goal cushion from the penalty spot after Nicolas Nkoulou fouled Luca Pellegrini.
The Sardinians are now tenth -- four points off the Europa League berths -- and level on points with ninth-placed Hellas Verona.
Torino stay 14th, six points above the relegation zone.
Basement club Brescia look destined for a return to Serie B next season after throwing away a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw against relegation-rivals Genoa.
Alfredo Donnarumma scored for the hosts after 10 minutes, with Alessandro Semprini getting his first Serie A goal three minutes later.
But Genoa hit back with a pair of penalties, the first earned after Cristian Romero was fouled by Brescia teenager Andrea Papetti.
Iago Falque stepped up to slot in on 38 minutes, with Andrea Pinamonti converting the second on 69 minutes following a handball.
Genoa move one-point clear of the relegation zone, ahead of Lecce, who lost 4-0 to Juventus on Friday.
Brescia stay bottom with 18 points from 28 games, eight points from safety.


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