Lazio's Ciro Immobile scores twice in important win over Sampdoria

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Striker Ciro Immobile scored twice in a first-half blitz as Lazio returned to form with a 3-1 win at Sampdoria on Sunday that lifted the Romans into seventh place in Serie A.

Maurizio Sarri's side were under pressure to get a result after going winless in three league games and conceding eight goals in their last two, a 4-0 defeat by Napoli and 4-4 draw with Udinese.

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But they quickly took control at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic finished off a well-worked team move by tucking a finish into the bottom corner after seven minutes.

Italy international Immobile found the bottom corner for Lazio's second ten minutes later, before taking his tally for the season to 13 goals, level with Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic as the highest in the league, with a well-taken strike late in the first half.

Milinkovic-Savic was shown a second yellow card for dissent midway through the second half to leave Lazio with ten men, and Manolo Gabbiadini fired home a consolation late on for the hosts.

Lazio drew level with sixth-placed rivals AS Roma on 25 points, but remain behind them on goal difference, while Sampdoria are 15th with 15 points.