Sassuolo 2-6 Lazio: Sarri's Side Put on a Show to Go Top

Lazio reclaimed top spot in Serie A after beating 10-man Sassuolo 6-2 at the MAPEI Stadium.

Despite failing to convert two penalties in the second half, Maurizio Sarri's side preserved their unbeaten record in the league. The standings could change again depending on the result of reigning champions Inter's match against Venezia on Wednesday.

In a breathless contest, Kenneth Taylor found the net as early as the 2nd minute, before the hosts responded through Kristian Thorstvedt. Latching on to a pinpoint pass from Josh Doig, Thorstvedt beat goalkeeper Christos Mandas to level the score.

As the goal-fest continued in the opening phase, Lazio took control, and a fine finish from a tight angle by Gustav Isaksen followed by Romano Floriani Mussolini's strike in the 16th minute suddenly made it 3-1.

Sassuolo suffered another major blow midway through the first half. Thorstvedt was shown a straight red card for a heavy challenge on Mattia Zaccagni. Although Alberto Aquilani's side pulled one back through Sebastiano Esposito, Zaccagni stepped up in the closing moments of the first half to send Lazio into the dressing room with a two-goal lead.

The action in both boxes did not let up in the second half, but all the danger came in the Sassuolo penalty area.

Lazio captain Zaccagni stepped up to take the penalty awarded when Simone Cinquegrano handled his shot, but could not beat goalkeeper Stefano Turati. In the 55th minute, however, Tijjani Noslin extended the lead to three with a superb strike into the corner from outside the box. Shortly afterwards Lazio won another penalty when Duje Caleta-Car brought down Isaksen, and this time Davide Frattesi took responsibility, but Turati produced yet another penalty save.

Lazio kept up the pressure, and 10 minutes after his first goal Noslin again fired a thunderbolt from outside the box into the top right corner to make it 6-2. Matteo Cancellieri failed to take clear chances in the closing stages, and the match ended with that scoreline.

A Sign of a Title Challenge for Lazio?

Before this match, the last Serie A game in which four goals were scored in the first 16 minutes was the Atalanta - Bologna clash in April 2019. Making excellent use of their numerical advantage away from home, Lazio finished the match with 3.39 expected goals (xG).

Despite his penalty miss, captain Zaccagni was the man of the match. With one goal and two assists, the star player carried his team, creating four chances, completing three successful dribbles and winning seven duels.

With this result, Lazio are unbeaten in their first nine league matches, achieving the feat for the fifth time in the club's history and for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, when they last won the title. Although there is a long road ahead for Sarri's side, their absence from European competition this season could turn into a major advantage in the title race.