Alessandro Matri struck twice on his Lazio debut as the Roman side ran out 2-0 victors over Udinese as they moved to within touching distance of Chievo atop of the Serie A standings.
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Stefano Mauri was handed his first start of the season under Stefano Pioli, while Eden Lulic was deployed on the left-hand side.
Balde Keita, who has impressed as a lone frontman this term, spearheaded the attack.
It was a reshuffled backline, meanwhile, as Wesley Hoedt partnered Mauricio in the heart of defence.
For Udinese, in the meantime, Duvan Zapata replaced the unfit Antonio Di Natale in attack.
Conditions proving tricky
The game began as the conditions had intended it to. Both sides failed to settle into an early rhythm, with the Udinese right-back Ali Adnan marauding down the right-hand side. Antonio Candreva then stung the palms of Udinese goalkeeper Karnezis with 15 minutes having passed.
Keita Balde, a hitherto isolated figure, wriggled his way past several Udinese defenders before shaping to shoot, but his shot was thwarted by Manuel Iturra.
Lazio’s influence grew, perfectly highlighted by Candreva’s rasping effort from distance seconds after Balde was denied.
The rain continued to crash off the surface and, though Zapata was proving a thorn in the Lazio backline, the game became engulfed in a middle battle. Daniele Cataldi, on one instance, received possession with Balde bending his run ahead of him, but his attempted pass fell victim to the weather and slid out for a goal-kick.
Cataldi then sliced an effort wide of the mark after Marco Parolo had provided the knockdown.
With three minutes remaining until the interval, however, Lazio carved out the best chance of the half. Balde scurried forward jinxing past several onrushing Udinese midfielder’s before laying the ball onto Candreva in acres of space. The veteran steadied himself and unleashed an effort towards goal, but the ball flashed across the face and trickled wide of the mark.
A frantic beginning to the second period
The rain held up to begin the second period and Balde went close seconds after the restart. The forward retrieved possession on the edge of the 18-yard area, swiveled and curled his effort towards goal, but there was little swerve and the Udinese No.1 remained unperturbed.
Stefano Colantuono’s side continued to weather the Lazio storm (literally) as Karnezis was forced into a fingertip save from Parolo after the hosts had threatened on the break.
The visitors then constructed a promising opening down the left-hand side. The ball rolled into the vicinity of Zapata who was denied by the outstretched leg of Dusan Basta.
It was Ali Adnan, however, who was left to rue the visitors most menacing chance of the evening. The Iraqi full-back found himself in acres of space at the far stick before turning Cataldi inside-out and inexplicably blasting his effort over the crossbar.
Lazio make the breakthrough
Lazio soon capatalised and it was the two substitutes who combined to break the deadlock. Felipe Anderson, jettisoned after a sluggish start to the campaign, raced to the byline before flashing his cut-back across the face of the goal. Alessandro Matri, coaxed from Milan on deadline day, darted to the front-post and cushioned his effort into the roof of the net.
The seige continued and, after the visitors had forced Marchetti into a double save, Pioli’s side went close via Parolo and later the goalscorer Matri.
It was soon double trouble for the visitors, however, as Matri pounced on a sequence of defensive errors to double the hosts’ advantage. Kone's wayward touch fell invitingly into the path of the Italian who took one touch to control and rifled his effort through the legs of Karnezis between the sticks.
Udinese continued in their quest to salvage an equaliser. Badu, in one instance, latched onto a Antonio Di Natale flick but could not steer his effort on target. Zapata also went close five minutes from time.