Serie A | Bologna 0-2 Lazio: Taylor double for hat-trick of victories

Kenneth Taylor struck twice late on after Edoardo Motta saved Riccardo Orsolini’s penalty, giving Lazio a third straight Serie A win to leapfrog Bologna into eighth place.

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The Rossoblu were buzzing after their extra time victory over Roma on Thursday to reach the Europa League quarter-finals, but it came at a cost, losing Jens Odgaard and Tommaso Pobega to injury, with Lukasz Skorupski and Lorenzo De Silvestri already out. Lazio were also enthusiastic after back-to-back wins over Sassuolo and Milan, but the absentee list included Mattia Zaccagni, Ivan Provedel, Danilo Cataldi, Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot, with Alessio Romagnoli returning. Maurizio Sarri sat out a touchline ban.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Adam Marusic got down the right and forced Federico Ravaglia to rush off his line, while Daniel Maldini couldn’t keep his volley on target after a poor clearance.

Bologna came so close with a ferocious long-range Nikola Moro strike that beat Edoardo Motta only to smack against the frame of the goal on 21 minutes.

Lazio’s injury crisis intensified further after just 25 minutes when Mario Gila hobbled off.

Marusic again got into a promising position only to fire over when he had better options, while Federico Bernardeschi charged down a Gustav Isaksen effort.

Bologna pounced on a double error, as Santiago Castro intercepted the poor Fisayo Dele-Bashiru backpass and was brought down by Motta. However, Motta made up for his mistake by saving the Riccardo Orsolini penalty in only his third career Serie A appearance.

Motta was also ready for an Orsolini angled drive, but it was Lazio who took the lead instead when Boulaye Dia’s effort from the edge of the area was charged down, the ricochet turning into an accidental assist for Kenneth Taylor to sweep in at the near post.

Matteo Cancellieri had two chances in quick succession to bolster Lazio’s advantage, first a cross-shot cleared in the six-yard box, then Ravaglia using his body to parry at the near post.

It was only a warning, as Dia combined with Noslin to send Taylor into the box down the left, the midfielder dribbled around Ravaglia and deposited into an empty net for his second goal of the game.

Bologna thought they’d snatched one back in stoppages when Motta fumbled a Martin Vitik attempt, but it was cleared off the line.

Bologna 0-2 Lazio

Taylor 72, 82 (L)

Saved penalty: Orsolini 51 (B)