ROME: Lazio's Alvaro Gonzalez, Mirolsav Klose and Hernanes secured a 3-0 victory over Udinese in Serie A on Tuesday at the Stadio Olimpico where the home fans sang racist chants aimed at rivals Roma who share the stadium.
Lazio took to the field wearing a "No Racism" logo on their shirts in the aftermath of an attack in Rome on Tottenham Hotspur fans on the eve of last week's Europa League tie and anti-Semitic chanting during the game with the London team.
However, chants of "Roma, Jewish club" could be heard on Tuesday from the Curva Nord, home to Lazio's hardline ultra supporters, aimed at their bitter local rivals.
European soccer's governing body UEFA is deciding what sanctions to take after the events of last week, with Lazio president Claudio Lotito having met one of the injured Spurs fans, many of whom are Jewish, in hospital earlier on Tuesday.
The victory over Udinese took fifth-placed Lazio to 26 points from 14 games, six behind leaders Juventus and within two of Fiorentina and Inter Milan in third and fourth respectively.
Lazio started brightly, earning a penalty in the 11th minute when Udinese's Willians handled as he got in the way of Stefan Radu's backheel from a corner.
However, Antonio Candreva's spot kick was weak, allowing visiting goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic to save.
Five minutes later Lazio did take the lead when the lively Stefano Mauri's nicely-weighted pass found Gonzalez, who slotted the ball past Udinese's Serbian keeper.
With playmaker Candreva, on loan from Udinese, working well in a wider role and Mauri and Ederson controlling central midfield, Lazio were in control for long stretches of the game.
It was therefore no great surprise when they scored a second, thanks to another Mauri assist when he found Klose, who beat the offside trap before coolly side-footing home.
The victory was secured shortly just before the hour when Brazilian Hernanes, a halftime substitute for Ederson, clipped a free kick, awarded for a clumsy Andrea Coda challenge on Klose, over the wall and into the net from the edge of the box.
St. Etienne reaches League Cup
semifinals on
In Paris, St. Etienne had goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier to thank as they reached the League Cup semi-finals by beating Paris St Germain 5-3 on penalties after the game finished goalless on Tuesday.
Ruffier blocked Thiago Silva's weak spot kick to effectively seal the home team's passage into the last four after a tense affair at the Geoffroy Guichard ended 0-0 after extra time.
"It was not easy. The whole match was tough against a great PSG team," the keeper told French TV channel France 3.
Ruffier started brightly and never lost concentration in a game dominated by PSG whose forwards just could not beat him.
PSG's Zlatan Ibrahimovic intercepted an awful pass from a St. Etienne defender and rushed into the box but Ruffier kept his composure to parry the Swede's low shot with his right foot.
St. Etienne responded quickly but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's header was cleared off the goal line by Clement Chantome.
PSG striker Ezequiel Lavezzi then had a goal disallowed for offside and while Les Verts had most possession, the visitors looked more dangerous.
PSG's second-half substitute Nene provided more pace up front but they still struggled to create any clear chances in a match featuring the best two defenses in Ligue 1.
In extra time, Lavezzi collected a terrible back pass by Francois Clerc but his own poor delivery to Ibrahimovic enabled Ruffier to dive at the striker's feet to deny PSG once again.
Malaga loses but scrape past Cacereno in Cup
Tiny Cacereno from the Spanish third tier came within centimetres of upsetting Malaga in the King’s Cup on Tuesday, winning 1-0 at the Rosaleda but going out on the away goals rule 4-4 on aggregate.
Qatar-owned Malaga, who lie fourth in La Liga and who have cruised into the last-16 of the Champions League, were clinging on desperately at the end of their last-32 second leg with luck on their side.
Winger Chapi pounced on a loose ball after a free-kick to put the visitors ahead in the 37th minute and they sensed an upset towards the end of the second half.
Malaga defender Martin Demichelis diverted a goal-bound shot just wide of his own post and goalkeeper Carlos Kameni pushed another shot into the side-netting in the closing stages.
When the visitors did finally bundle in a second at a corner, it was ruled out for off-side and Manuel Pellegrini’s side hung on to progress.
In other games, Real Madrid, Real Betis and Osasuna all moved in to the last 16, while second division Cordoba and Las Palmas claimed the scalps of top-flight side to progress.
