A for the first time since November 2012, boosting
their slim hopes of qualifying for the Champions
League and severely denting their rivals' chances
of catching league leaders Juventus.
Balde Keita scored a stunning five-minute hat-trick
last time out against Palermo and picked up where
he left off by opening the scoring, but Roma
equalised through a hugely controversial Daniele
De Rossi penalty after a blatant Kevin Strootman
dive.
Luckily for Lazio, that contentious call made no
difference as Dusan Basta and a second goal for
Keita secured the points for the designated visitors
at Stadio Olimpico.
Roma, who had Antonio Rudiger sent off late on,
now face a near impossible task to catch Juventus,
who can secure a sixth straight title by beating
rivals Torino next weekend, while Lazio are four
points off third-placed Napoli.
Head coach Simone Inzaghi was dealt a blow when
Lazio's top goalscorer Ciro Immobile pulled out
ahead of kick-off due to illness and Roma started
brightly by creating a clear chance for Edin Dzeko
in the second minute, the Bosnian's six-yard strike
deflecting over the crossbar.
But Lazio went ahead after 10 minutes, Keita firing
through Emerson's legs and into Wojciech
Szczesny's bottom-left corner from the edge of the
box.
Roma were controversially awarded a penalty just
before half-time when Wallace swiped a leg at
Strootman - although he made no contact with the
Roma midfielder - and captain De Rossi casually
stroked the spot-kick beyond Thomas Strakosha
for his first derby goal since April 2009.
Lazio were clearly angered by the decision, but
they regained the lead in the second half.
A cross was half-cleared to Basta, who chested the
ball down and he fired home via a large deflection
off Federico Fazio, and Keita tapped home his
second of the game with five minutes to go to
break Roma's four-match winning streak in the
derby.
Roma's misery was complete when Antonio
Rudiger was dismissed in stoppage-time for a
reckless challenge on Filip Djordjevic.
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