Serie A: Ciro Immobile fires Lazio into third, AC Milan extend unbeaten run

MILAN: Ciro Immobile scored his first-ever goal against Fiorentina to send Lazio third in Serie A with a 1-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, while AC Milan continued their strong form by beating Chievo.

Simone Inzaghi's Lazio went into the match looking to bounce back from their 3-1 derby defeat by Roma last weekend, and did just that to draw level on points with second-placed Napoli, who face Sassuolo later in the day.

Marco Parolo flashed a shot narrowly wide early on, before Lazio defender Wallace got away with a slack pass as Marco Benassi's effort was kept out by Thomas Strakosha.

Immobile made the breakthrough in the 38th minute, as Stefan Radu nodded on a corner and the Italy striker stretched to volley in at the back post for his fifth league goal of the season.

The 28-year-old, who signed a contract extension which will keep him at the club until 2023 earlier this week, has now scored 57 Serie A goals since the start of the 2016-17 campaign.

Giovanni Simeone had a penalty appeal waved away for the visitors, while Marko Pjaca also went close to an equaliser, but the home side held on for their fourth win in five league games.

Milan extended their unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions as Gonzalo Higuain scored twice in a 3-1 victory over lowly Chievo at the San Siro.

Suso teed up Higuain to tap in a 27th-minute opener, before the former Liverpool winger slipped a through ball into the feet of the Argentinian to make it two before half-time.

Higuain has now scored six goals in just seven appearances for Gennaro Gattuso's men since joining from Juventus in the close-season.

Suso made it a hat-trick of assists as Giacomo Bonaventura collected his pass and drilled home in the 56th minute.

Veteran striker Sergio Pellissier, 39, scored a consolation for Chievo, but the visitors remain rooted to the foot of the table on minus-one points after being deducted three by Serie A earlier in the season for "false accounting".

Milan sit 10th, but only three points off the top three with a game in hand.

Elsewhere, Sampdoria edged out Atalanta 1-0 with a goal from Lorenzo Tonelli to move into the top four ahead of Roma on goal difference, while Parma claimed a fourth win in five outings by winning 3-1 at Genoa.