Immobile scores hat trick, nears single-season record
Rome: A hat trick moved Ciro Immobile within three goals of overtaking Gonzalo Higuain's single-season record for Serie A with two matches remaining.
Immobile netted two penalties and also scored a magnificent strike in Lazio's 5-1 win at Hellas Verona on Sunday. He now has 34 goals in 34 matches four more than Cristiano Ronaldo atop the Italian league's scoring chart.
Higuain scored 36 for Napoli in 2015-16.
Immobile's second goal of the night was a thing of beauty: Set up by Jordan Lukaku on the left flank, he curled a shot into the far top corner.
Lazio moved level on points with third-place Atalanta, one point behind Inter Milan.
Juventus, which is five points ahead of Lazio, can clinch a record-extending ninth straight title with a win over Sampdoria later Sunday.
OTHER RESULTS Roma increased its grip on fifth place by beating Fiorentina 2-1 with two penalties from Jordan Veretout.
Udinese won 1-0 at Cagliari and secured a 26th straight season in the top flight.
Lecce remained in the relegation zone after conceding a stoppage-time decider from Musa Barrow in a 3-2 loss at Bologna.
Also, Torino was held 1-1 at already-relegated Spal.
