Klose scores twice as Lazio survive fightback
MILAN (Reuters) - Miroslav Klose scored twice in a minute to help Lazio beat 10-man Cagliari 4-2 on Monday, although they had to survive a second-half fightback from the unpredictable Sardinians.
Lazio raced to a 3-0 halftime lead as Stefano Mauri turned in Lucas Biglia's shot in the seventh minute before former Germany forward Klose sprang into action.
Klose, who became the World Cup's highest scorer with 16 goals after scoring twice in the tournament in Brazil this year, added the second from close range in the 25th minute after Senad Lulic nodded Antonio Candreva's pass into his path.
One minute later, the 36-year-old struck again with a shot which deflected off Luca Ceppitelli.
Cagliari came straight back after the break when Lazio's Edson Braafheid deflected the ball into his own goal three minutes after the re-start.
Cagliari had Colombia forward Victor Ibarbo sent off in the 73rd minute for retaliation on Lulic, who escaped with a yellow card, but the visitors still scored again through substitute Joao Pedro with six minutes left.
Substitute Ederson sealed Lazio's win with a goal in stoppage time.
Lazio's fifth win in six games lifted them to third in Serie A with 19 points from 10 games, three behind neighbours AS Roma and a further three adrift of leaders Juventus.
Cesena and Verona drew 1-1 in Monday's other game, featuring two sides in the lower half of the table.
(Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
