Fisayo Dele-Bashiru provided an assist as Lazio secured an emphatic 6-2 victory over Sassuolo in Tuesday’s Serie A encounter at the MAPEI Stadium.
The Nigerian midfielder came off the bench at half-time and made his contribution count, helping Lazio complete a convincing away win against their 10-man opponents.
Lazio made a flying start to the encounter, with Kenneth Taylor opening the scoring in the second minute. However, Sassuolo responded five minutes later when Josip Šutalo inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
Nevertheless, the visitors quickly regained control as Gustav Isaksen restored their lead in the 13th minute before Romano Floriani Mussolini extended their advantage two minutes later.
Lazio’s task became easier in the 31st minute when Sassuolo midfielder Kristian Thorstvedt received a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Mattia Zaccagni.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the hosts reduced the deficit through Sebastiano Esposito before Zaccagni restored Lazio’s two-goal cushion just before half-time.
Meanwhile, Dele-Bashiru’s introduction after the break added another attacking option for Lazio. The Super Eagles midfielder replaced Taylor at the interval as the visitors looked to maintain their advantage.
Although Zaccagni missed a penalty early in the second half, Lazio continued to threaten their opponents.
Consequently, Tijjani Noslin extended the visitors’ lead in the 56th minute before completing his brace nine minutes later.
Dele-Bashiru provided the assist for Noslin’s second goal in the 65th minute, capping an impressive individual contribution after coming on as a substitute.
The assist was the Nigerian’s first in Serie A this season, following his goal in Lazio’s 3-0 victory over Juventus on October 18.
The victory strengthened Lazio’s position in the Serie A title race. The Italian side moved to 25 points after eight wins in nine league matches, although their position at the top remained subject to Inter’s result against Venezia.
The latest performance offers another opportunity to build momentum after scoring against Juventus earlier this month.
The midfielder will now hope to secure more playing time as Lazio prepare for their next league fixture against Cagliari on November 1.
