Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 836 Mon. October 02, 2006  
   
Sports


Serie A
Lazio thrash Torino


Lazio, who started the season with minus 11 points for their involvement in the Serie A match-fixing scandal, moved closer to wiping out their deficit after thumping newly-promoted Torino 4-0, the Rome club's third straight win.

Tommaso Rocchi put Lazio ahead shortly after half-time and then he won a penalty which Massimo Oddo coolly converted.

Oddo doubled his tally in the 68th minute with a powerful shot that took a wicked deflection before Stefano Mauri completed the rout.

Nine points from their last three matches after back-to-back defeats have left Lazio on minus two points. Torino remain on two points and are still looking for their first win since promotion.

After a sterile first half at Turin's Olympic stadium, Lazio took the lead in the 49th minute.

Gabyi Mudingayi burst into the box and his right-wing cross was nudged home by Rocchi.

Six minutes later, Rocchi was brought down in the box by Marco Di Loreto and Oddo made no mistake from 12 yards.

Oddo, the Lazio captain, made it 3-0 in the 68th minute when his shot -- which was probably going wide -- struck a Torino defender and completely wrong-footed keeper Christian Abbiati.

Mauri scored Lazio's fourth goal three minutes later, lashing home the rebound after Abbiati's outstretched leg had kept out Rocchi's angled strike.

Earlier Reggina's relegation concerns deepened after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Atalana.

Starting on minus 15-points for their part in the match-fixing scandal, Reggina are desperate for victories and were confident of a win at one of the newly-promoted sides in the top division.

But all they could manage was a point from their trip to Bergamo where both goals were scored in the first six minutes.

A point for Reggina left them entrenched in the relegation zone with minus 10 points while Atalana remain in eighth place on six points, four behind leaders Inter Milan who face Cagliari on Sunday.

Simone Loria put the home side ahead in the third minute, firing home the loose ball after Ivan Pelizzoli had parried Nicola Ventola's overhead kick.

The visitors were back on level terms three minutes later, Giacomo Tedesco's rising half-volley from the edge of the penalty area flying into the top corner.