Unstoppable Lazio thrash Sampdoria to record 11th straight win

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Lazio's Ciro Immobile scores their fifth goal from the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Ciro Immobile scored a hat-trick as Lazio hammered Sampdoria 5-1 on Saturday to record an 11th consecutive Serie A win and move within three points of leaders Juventus.

A Felipe Caicedo strike and a double from Serie A’s leading scorer Immobile gave the hosts a handsome advantage after just 20 minutes.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Lazio's Ciro Immobile celebrates scoring their fifth goal and completing his hat-trick REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Substitute Bastos added a fourth in the second half before Immobile completed his hat-trick with his second penalty of the afternoon, taking his tally of league goals for the season to 23.

Karol Linetty scored a consolation goal for Sampdoria with 20 minutes remaining, but their afternoon worsened four minutes later when defender Julian Chabot was sent off for a last-man challenge.

Lazio have become just the fifth team in Serie A history to put together a winning run of more than 10 games, along with Juventus (four times), Roma (twice), Napoli and Inter Milan.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Lazio's Ciro Immobile scores their fifth goal from the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

The result leaves the capital club in third place on 45 points, one behind Inter, who travel to Lecce on Sunday, and three adrift of leaders Juve, who host Parma.

Sassuolo ended a run of three consecutive defeats as they came from behind to beat Torino 2-1 at the Mapei Stadium.

A Manuel Locatelli own goal put the visitors in front midway through the first half, but goals from Jeremie Boga and Domenico Berardi turned the match on its head in the final half an hour.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Lazio's Bastos in action with Sampdoria's Bartosz Bereszynski REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

The result lifts Sassuolo into 14th place on 22 points, while Torino remain eighth with 27 points.

(Reporting by Alasdair Mackenzie; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Christian Radnedge)

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Sampdoria's Karol Linetty kneels behind the wall before a free kick REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Lazio's Bastos celebrates scoring their fourth goal REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Lazio's Manuel Lazzari in action with Sampdoria's Omar Colley REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Lazio's Lucas Leiva in action with Sampdoria's Karol Linetty REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Lazio's Ciro Immobile scores their third goal REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Sampdoria - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 18, 2020 Sampdoria's Emil Audero in action with Lazio's Felipe Caicedo REUTERS/Alberto Lingria