Lazio Wins Italian Super Cup

Lazio striker Ciro Immobile scored twice as Lazio held off a fightback from Juventus to win the Italian Super Cup 3-2 in Rome on Sunday.  Lazio certainly proved that Juve have work to do before the new league season starts next weekend, with Immobile scoring a penalty before cutting through a soft back-line to double his tally.

Paulo Dybala launched a one-man comeback at the death, steering home a free-kick with five minutes remaining before converting a spot-kick, but Alessandro Murgia rescued the cup for Lazio. This pre-season triumph also served as prompt revenge for the Bianconeri, who lost the Coppa Italia final to Juve back in May.

Juve started positively and Juan Cuadrado was denied an early tap-in by Thomas Strakosha. Gonzalo Higuain got the Lazio goalkeeper working again with a speculative shot and, in the eighth minute, Strakosha rushed out to snatch the ball away from the onrushing Mario Mandzukic.

In the 31st minute Lazio won a penalty when Buffon fouled Immobile in the Juve box and the veteran stopper could not keep out his Italy team-mate's carefully placed spot-kick. The Bianconeri looked rattled and needed Buffon to make a smart double stop on Dusan Basta and then Lazio's summer signing Lucas Leiva to keep the scoreline respectable heading into the break.

Substitute Douglas Costa dragged a save out of Strakosha in the 68th minute and it was not long before he teed up Higuain for an effort at the far post. With time running away from the Bianconeri, they finally grabbed a goal, with Dybala spinning the ball over the wall and home from a free-kick following a foul by Parolo.

The Argentinian forward looked to have forced extra-time when he slotted past Strakosha from the spot to punish Adam Marusic for impeding Alex Sandro, but a further minute into stoppage time Lazio replacement Murgia salvaged the win with a cool right-footed finish.