Chievo 0-3 Lazio: Hernanes and clinical Klose double give Edy Reja's side impressive away triumph

Hernanes’ early goal and Klose’s late brace earned Lazio the three points in a 3-0 victory over Chievo at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi in Verona on Sunday afternoon.

The result was slightly harsh on the hosts, but Edy Reja's visitors were the more clinical, moving into fourth spot in the Serie A table as a result.

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The first chance of the game fell to Sena Lulic in the fourth minute, but the Bosnian midfielder’s effort from the edge of the six-yard box was blocked by Stefano Sorrentino. The home side were the more dominant force in the opening 20 minutes, with Luciano and Cyril Thereau both coming close.

However, Reja’s men took the lead in the 21st against the run of play when German frontman Klose held off the Chievo defenders and laid the ball to Tomasso Rocchi, who looked to shoot but instead found Hernanes to the right hand side of the Chievo goal. The Brazilian was left with the simplest of tasks to open the scoring.

The Gialloblu came close to equalising in when Federico Marchetti produced a good save from a Sergio Pellisier shot, and the hosts did put the ball in the Lazio net a minute later, but Alberto Paloschi’s goal was ruled out as the referee had blown for a foul on Marchetti.

The on-loan Milan forward continued to look lively, though, and threatened before half time, but struggled to control the ball and lost his momentum, with his attempt being blocked.

Chievo started the second half the brighter team, with Brazilian midfielder Luciano seeing an early effort go wide of the Lazio goal. The visitors seemed to have slowed their pace, and were struggling to create any real goalscoring opportunities.

Guiseppe Meli’s men continued to push, and won a free kick in the 61st minute but Thereau saw his attempt blocked by the Lazio wall. Michael Bradley the fired a powerful shot from outside the area but Chievo’s search for an equaliser continued to prove fruitless.

Then, Lazio threatened. Julic almost doubled the lead in the 70th minute as he did well to beat two players and rounded Sorrentino but the midfielder somehow struck the ball onto the crossbar. A minute later at the other end, Thereau blasted the ball high over the bar from a few yards out with what was undoubtedly Chievo’s best chance of the match.

But Lazio made sure of the three points in the 88th minute when Djibril Cisse’s pass found fellow frontman Klose who neatly slotted the ball under Sorrentino. The German striker doubled his tally one minute later when he struck home a low shot from outside the area after an Alvaro Gonzalez pass.

Victory for Lazio means they move above Inter in fourth. Chievo, who moved down a spot to 11th, face bottom-placed Novara on Thursday night while Reja’s side host second-placed AC Milan on Wednesday.

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