The Italian star hits back at criticism as he tops the Serie A goalscoring charts

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CIRO IMMOBILE topped the Serie A goalscoring charts on Saturday after his early brace helped Lazio to a comfortable 3-0 win at bottom-run Salernitana.

Italy striker Immobile scored twice in the opening 10 minutes to give the away side a lead they never seemed to relinquish and take their league tally to 17, one more than the rising star of Fiorentinas Dusan Vlahovic, in 18 appearances.

After scoring his 140th league goal with Lazio, where he has played since 2016, Immobile has hit back at criticism of his displays for the national team, where he has been far less prolific in front of goal.

I’m a European champion, and my stats speak for themselves, I don’t need to respond to this stuff on TV or social media, said Immobile, who has scored 15 times in 54 selections for Italy.

I scored twice at the Euros, scored 140 Serie A goals with Lazio, I won the European Golden Boot, these are things that speak for themselves, I have nothing to to say.

Manuel Lazzari scored the other goal in a win that lifted Lazio into sixth place, six points off Champions League positions after playing two more games than fourth-placed Atalanta, who host leaders on Sunday and reigning champions Inter Milan.

They are three points behind Juventus ahead of their game against Udinese in Turin later on Saturday.

– In Motionless Form –

Salernitana, who announced three new cases of Covid-19 shortly before kick-off to take their virus tally to six players, remain in last place after their 15th defeat of their debut season in Serie A in addition to two decades.

They are six points adrift of 17th-placed Venezia after losing to a side owned by Claudio Lotito, whose also ownership of Salernitana almost led to the promoted club being kicked out of Serie A until they were saved at last minute by new owner Danilo Iervolino. .

Immobile opened the scoring with a well-placed strike with six minutes on the clock, the 31-year-old making the most of Sergej Milinkovic-Savics’ extravagant flick by scoring the first time with his left foot.

And three minutes later he gave Lazio a two-goal lead, this time tapping into Pedros’ low cross from close range.

Immobile would have scored a first-half hat-trick had his free-kick header not landed on the wrong side of the goal line after crashing under the bar.

Lazio raced through the second half and added a third in the 66th minute through Lazzaris who struck near the post after being rolled by Felipe Anderson.

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Earlier, Torino came from behind to win 2-1 at Sampdoria thanks to headers in each half from Wilfried Singo and Denis Praet.

Torino, ninth and four points behind Conference League berth Lazio, played one fewer game than the Roma side after their game at Atalanta earlier this month was not played back to back. of a spike in Covid cases at the Turin-based club.

Francesco Caputo scored for Sampdoria, who remain 15th and four points above the relegation zone after their third straight defeat.

Roberto DAveras’ side should have snatched a late draw when Fabio Quagliarella headed in from close range when he was set up with an accurate cross from Riccardo Ciervo a minute from time.

AFP 2022

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