Nigeria’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru found the back of the net as Lazio cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dinamo Kyiv in their Europa League opener on Thursday night. The Super Eagles midfielder, who joined Lazio this summer, continued his impressive form, adding to his goal-scoring reputation, much like his debut goal for Nigeria against South Africa.
Lazio got off to a flying start, with Boulaye Dia netting the opener just five minutes into the match. A clever pass from Pedro set up the Senegalese forward, who slotted the ball into the far corner. Dinamo Kyiv responded by dominating possession but struggled to create clear chances as Lazio’s defensive line remained solid.
Dele-Bashiru made his mark in the 35th minute with a thunderous strike. Matias Vecino’s incisive pass found the Nigerian midfielder, who unleashed a powerful shot into the top corner for his first goal in a Lazio shirt. The goal was part of a quick double from the visitors, as Dia scored his second just moments later, heading home from close range to extend Lazio’s lead to 3-0.
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Dinamo Kyiv’s hopes of a comeback were dashed, despite several attempts before halftime, with Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel making key saves to deny Volodymyr Brazhko and Andriy Yarmolenko.
The second half saw Dinamo push forward in search of a response, but their efforts were hampered when substitute Maksym Bragaru was shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Mattia Zaccagni with 20 minutes remaining. Lazio’s Tijjani Noslin was also sent off for an off-the-ball incident, but Dinamo Kyiv failed to take advantage, unable to score even a consolation goal.
The victory gives Lazio a strong start to their Europa League campaign, with Dele-Bashiru’s goal marking an impressive beginning to his time in Italy. The 23-year-old midfielder, formerly of Hatayspor, has quickly made an impact and looks set to be a key player for Marco Baroni’s side this season.
