Serie A | Lazio 5-1 Monza: Pedro shines in Manita | OneFootball

Lazio swept sorry Monza aside 5-1 at the Stadio Olimpico with a Pedro brace, Adam Marusic, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Taty Castellanos, who scored his first Serie A home goal since September.

The Aquile had dropped down to sixth place after Fiorentina won the rescheduled match with Inter, so a victory was essential against rock-bottom Monza. Elseid Hysaj, Matias Vecino and Patric were out of action, with Nuno Tavares back in the starting XI, plus Luca Pellegrini surprisingly cut from the Serie A and Europa League squad. The visitors had Alessandro Bianco after his ban but absentees included Stefano Turati, Samuele Birindelli, Luca Caldirola, Danilo D’Ambrosio, Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro, Gianluca Caprari, Matteo Pessina and Roberto Gagliardini.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Samuel Pizzignacco got down to push a long-range Taty Castellanos strike round the upright, then Bianco was in the right place to prevent Alessio Romagnoli tapping in the Nuno Tavares pull-back.

Mattia Zaccagni steered a free header inches wide from the Gustav Isaksen cross, then Tomas Palacios threw himself in the path of another Zaccagni finish.

That move continued and Castellanos knocked down the Matteo Guendouzi cross for a free Adam Marusic header from four yards to finally break the deadlock.

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 09: Adam Marusic of SS Lazio celebrates the opening goal during the Serie match between Lazio and Monza at Stadio Olimpico on February 09, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Boulaye Dia limped off after a knock to the ankle and his replacement Pedro drilled inches wide on the stroke of half-time.

Straight after the restart, Armando Izzo’s decisive flick prevented Castellanos volleying in the Isaksen assist from six yards, then Stefan Lekovic deflected the Nuno Tavares follow-up over.

It was all Lazio, Pedro’s shot smothered and an Isaksen angled drive wide, but there was a scare when Inter-owned Palacios nodded wide from a free kick.

The lead was finally doubled when Castellanos perfectly timed the through ball for Pedro to smash in at the near post.

A third came moments later, the first Serie A goal Castellanos had scored at the Stadio Olimpico since September 2024, sweeping in the Zaccagni assist following a step-over.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru turned wide when clear on goal, but the fourth was only a matter of time, Tijjani Noslin pulling back from the by-line for the simple Pedro finish.

Monza had a chance late on when VAR spotted Manuel Lazzari jumping with an arm over his head, punching the cross away from Silvere Ganvoula. Stefano Sensi converted the penalty, despite Ivan Provedel getting a hand to it.

Lazio quickly restored their four-goal cushion when Dele-Bashiru ran onto a through ball down the left and smashed a left-foot finish into the roof of the net from a tricky angle.

Marusic 31 (L), Pedro 57, 77 (L), Castellanos 63 (L), Sensi pen 86 (M), Dele-Bashiru 88 (L)