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Lazio are marching on the Champions League places as Tommaso Rocchi's brace helped them to a crushing 3-0 win away to Palermo.
Francesco Guidolin said this was a Champions League play-off and the Rosanero hoped to continue their run of three consecutive home victories, even if Amauri, Giuseppe Biava and Cesare Bovo were injured.
Andrea Caracciolo has found it difficult to fill Amauri's shoes and after eight minutes he sprinted on to Eugenio Corini's long ball only to fire a weak effort straight at Angelo Peruzzi. Moments later Mark Bresciano fired over from inside the area.
Caracciolo wasted another good scoring opportunity because he didn't get enough power behind the shot. When he did hit the back of the net on 13 minutes, it was disallowed for a very debatable offside flag. David Di Michele performed some stunning footwork to win back the ball and thread through for Caracciolo, but it was ruled out because Corini was offside - whether he was interfering with play was a different matter.
Moments later Lazio nearly opened the scoring with Tommaso Rocchi springing the offside trap and Alberto 'Jimmy' Fontana bravely rushing out to close him down from six yards totally unmarked.
Di Michele scored a sensational brace against Lazio earlier this season and was again on inspired form. His spectacular curling finish was fingertipped out of the top corner by an acrobatic Peruzzi.
Gaby Mudingayi drilled over from distance and ex-Palermo midfielder Massimo Mutarelli nodded wide. Di Michele was running riot in the Lazio defence, though, and Bresciano just failed to get on the end of a lucky ricochet as the Italian burst through four players.
Caracciolo's header looped over and Valon Behrami almost scored an own goal on Corini's free kick.
However, it was Lazio who took the lead at the end of a chaotic move on the stroke of half-time. Ex-Rosanero striker Stephen Makinwa was tackled in the area by Cristian Zaccardo, then Rocchi's first attempt was charged down by Fontana, but nothing could keep out the follow-up.
After the break, Bresciano flicked his header past the far post, but Lazio doubled their tally from a set-piece. Defender Sebastiano Siviglia rose to meet a free kick from six yards and his header slotted in despite Fontana getting a hand to it.
Mutarelli risked a straight red for a clumsy tackle on Caracciolo, but the Biancocelesti had a great chance on the counter-attack with both Rocchi and Mutarelli efforts charged down.
Guidolin threw on Franco Brienza for a trident attack and Caracciolo just failed to connect with a Mattia Cassani cross to the back post before Corini's shot was charged down in a Palermo siege.
Makinwa's half-volley was too high to trouble Fontana and soon after the Nigerian was brought down by Corini for a penalty. Regular penalty taker Massimo Oddo has now moved to Milan, so Rocchi took over the duties and buried the kick to make it 3-0.
Lazio gave new signing Luis Jimenez his debut for the final 10 minutes at the Stadio Barbera.
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