Romano Floriani Mussolini scores first Lazio goal in 6-2 rout of Sassuolo

Romano Floriani Mussolini scored his first Lazio goal on Tuesday as Gennaro Gattuso’s side demolished Sassuolo 6-2 in Serie A, moving provisionally to the top of the table with 25 points from nine games.

The 23-year-old defender, who wears “Romano” on the back of his shirt, struck in the 16th minute for Lazio’s third goal of the evening. His initial celebrations were cut short when an offside flag was raised, but the decision was overturned on video review and the goal stood.

It was Mussolini’s first goal in the Italian top flight and only the second of his career. His previous strike came two years ago during a loan spell at Juve Stabia in the second division. The defender, whose full name is Romano Benito Floriani Mussolini, is connected to the former Italian dictator through his mother’s side of the family and has publicly stated he holds no interest in politics.

Lazio had roared into a second-minute lead through Kenneth Taylor, only for Kristian Thorstvedt to equalise almost immediately after a lengthy VAR check. Quick goals from Gustav Isaksen and Mussolini put the visitors firmly in control, and Sassuolo’s hopes of a comeback were effectively ended just after the half-hour mark when Thorstvedt was shown a red card for a foul on Mattia Zaccagni.

Sassuolo pulled one back two minutes from halftime through Sebastiano Esposito, but Zaccagni headed in from Isaksen’s cross in added time to restore Lazio’s two-goal cushion at the break. Zaccagni then spurned a penalty shortly after the interval, his tame spot kick saved by Stefano Turati.

Tijjani Noslin curled in a fifth from outside the box, and although Turati saved a second Lazio penalty — this time from Davide Frattesi after a foul by Duje Caleta-Car — Noslin added a sixth with another long-range effort to complete the scoring.

The result keeps Lazio three points clear of Inter Milan, who visit bottom club Venezia on Wednesday, and reinforces Gattuso’s side as genuine Serie A title contenders after an unbeaten start to the campaign.