Venezia were given the first chance to open the scoring when Christos Mandas wiped out wing-back Thierry Correia after a mistake in the Biancocelesti’s defence, but Mandas immediately atoned for his error, producing a brilliant save low to his left to deny John Yeboah from 12 yards.
The Greece international then had to react sharply again to palm away a ferocious volley from Simon Sohm, before a cross from Antoine Hainaut flew agonisingly beyond the onrushing Venezia attackers at the back post.
Lazio didn’t look like a side that had won three of their first four Serie A matches under Gennaro Gattuso, and they continued to find themselves under constant pressure against Serie A’s bottom side.
Akor Adams had another golden chance for the hosts when played through by Yeboah, but he couldn’t beat the inspired Mandas, who also beat away a curling effort from Hainaut soon after.
Almost poetically, Lazio nearly struck with an almighty sucker punch just before half-time, as Matteo Cancellieri drove in from the right, but his powerful curling effort whistled wide of Filip Stanković’s goal.
That was the visitors’ best effort by some distance, and it – along with some likely words of wisdom at half-time – served to wake Gattuso’s side from their first-half slumber.
In turn, Lazio won a penalty of their own, with Yeboah’s bad night being compounded as he fouled Kenneth Taylor. Lazio captain Mattia Zaccagni swept the ball into the top left-hand corner to break the deadlock with his first goal of the season.
The visitors then doubled their lead on the hour mark, when former Arsenal man Nuno Tavares provided a well-worked cross for Tijjani Noslin to bury a close-range header into the bottom corner.
It was the perfect follow-up to the Dutchman’s goal against Milan last weekend, and eviscerated any Venetian hopes of getting off the mark.
Victory means Lazio make history, with 13 points from their opening five fixtures for the first time ever, while Venezia will have to improve quickly to avoid their 100% record of being relegated in each of their top-flight campaigns undertaken during the current century.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Christos Mandas (Lazio)
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