Sassuolo 2-6 Lazio: Mattia Zaccagni scores and sets up two more as Lazio go top

Lazio were 3-0 up inside thirteen minutes, and the only question left by half-time was how many more would follow. Kenneth Taylor opened the scoring after two, Josip Sutalo turned a cross into his own net five minutes later, and Gustav Isaksen made it three on 13, converting a Mattia Zaccagni pass.

Romano Floriani added a fourth on 16 minutes, Sebastiano Esposito pulled one back for the hosts just before the break, and Zaccagni himself got in on the scoring with a header in first-half stoppage time, assisted by Isaksen. 5-1 at half-time, from a Sassuolo side that had barely had the ball.

Match facts

• 2' — Kenneth Taylor (Lazio)
• 7' — Josip Sutalo (Sassuolo), own goal
• 13' — Gustav Isaksen (Lazio), assisted by Mattia Zaccagni
• 16' — Romano Floriani (Lazio), assisted by Kenneth Taylor
• 28' — Kenneth Taylor booked (Lazio)
• 31' — Kristian Thorstvedt sent off (Sassuolo)
• 43' — Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), assisted by Simone Cinquegrano
• 45'+1' — Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio), header, assisted by Gustav Isaksen
• 54' — Domenico Berardi booked (Sassuolo)
• 55' — Tijjani Noslin (Lazio), assisted by Mattia Zaccagni
• 65' — Tijjani Noslin (Lazio), assisted by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru

Zaccagni's afternoon

One goal and two assists in the space of 42 minutes is the kind of afternoon that settles a match on its own, and Mattia Zaccagni produced it without needing the second half to do it. He set up Isaksen's opener on 13 minutes, scored himself with a header right before the break, then turned provider again for Tijjani Noslin's first of two goals on 55.

Lazio's season stays unbeaten

Gennaro Gattuso's side arrived at the Mapei Stadium having won their last four Serie A matches and gone unbeaten through their first eight league games of the season, and the result stretches that run to nine without defeat. Twenty-two goals scored and only seven conceded over those nine matches is the kind of form that does not happen by accident.

A long afternoon for Sassuolo

For Sassuolo, Kristian Thorstvedt's 31st-minute red card turned a difficult game into an impossible one. The hosts were already down 4-0 at that point, and playing out the remaining hour with ten men against a Lazio side already cruising only widened the gap further. It is now three defeats in their last four Serie A matches for Alberto Aquilani's team.

What's next

The win takes Lazio to 1st in Serie A on 25 points, now ahead of Inter on goal difference at the top of the table. Sassuolo drop to 15th on 8 points, in the bottom half but not yet inside the relegation zone.