Lazio earned a comfortable 3-0 win away to Genoa at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, with Valentin Castellanos playing a key role by scoring one goal and assisting another. The result marked Lazio’s second league win of the season and extended their winning run over Genoa to five straight matches.
The visitors made a fast start and opened the scoring in just the fourth minute. Castellanos slipped a perfect pass through to Matteo Cancellieri, who finished calmly into the far corner to score his first goal for Lazio. Riding that early momentum, Castellanos nearly got a goal himself shortly after when he spotted Genoa goalkeeper Nicola Leali off his line, but the keeper recovered well to make a save.
Genoa tried to respond through Vitinha and Lorenzo Colombo, but their efforts came to nothing. Then, just past the half-hour mark, Lazio struck again on the counter. Castellanos and Adam Marušić combined with a slick one-two, and Castellanos smashed in the second goal with a first-time finish from Marušić’s return pass.
Despite trailing 2-0, the Genoa fans stayed loud and hopeful. They almost had something to cheer just before half-time when Colombo flicked on a long pass, but Ivan Provedel in the Lazio goal made a sharp save to keep it out.
Genoa’s chances of a comeback took a hit with two key VAR decisions. First, a penalty awarded for a supposed handball by Alessio Romagnoli was overturned. Soon after, Mattia Zaccagni scored a scrappy goal after Cancellieri’s header came off the post, and VAR confirmed he was onside, making it 3-0.
Zaccagni and Cancellieri continued to create chances, causing Genoa all sorts of problems, but they couldn’t add to the scoreline. Genoa had a couple of late chances for a consolation goal, but both Leo Østigård and Jeff Ekhator failed to convert at the back post.
The win lifts Lazio to 12th place in Serie A after five matches. Genoa, still without a win this season, remain stuck near the bottom with only two points.
