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Thirteen years on, Forestieri scores second Serie A goal in Udinese win

ROME (Reuters) - Nearly thirteen years after scoring his first Serie A goal, Udinese forward Fernando Forestieri claimed a second on Sunday as his COVID-19-depleted side produced a shock 3-1 away win over Lazio.

Tolgay Arslan and Ignacio Pussetto gave Udinese a 2-0 halftime lead before Forestieri fired the third in the 71st minute and Ciro Immobile pulled one back with a penalty.

It was a remarkable performance by Udinese, who were missing coach Luca Gotti as well as a host of regular players.

Sporting director Pierpaolo Marino blamed their absence on a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad. Lazio, also involved in the Champions League, seemed to be suffering the effects of battling on two fronts.

Udinese went ahead with their first real attack in the 18th minute, Arslan scoring with a deflected shot after Roberto Pereyra laid the ball off.

Samir hit the bar and Forestieri headed wide for the visitors before Pussetto glided into the penalty area and slotted the ball past Thomas Strakosha for the second in first-half stoppage time, leaving Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi furious.

Despite making three halftime substitutions, Lazio fell further behind in the 71st minute after allowing Forestieri too much time and space for his first Serie A goal since scoring for Siena against Inter Milan in January 2008.

Since then, Argentine-born Forestieri's career has taken him to Vicenza, Empoli and Bari in Italy's Serie B, Malaga in La Liga and Watford and Sheffield Wednesday - where he spent five seasons - in England's second tier.

Immobile won and converted a penalty three minutes later but it was too little, too late for the disjointed hosts.

(Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Hugh Lawson)