Rocchi double keeps Lazio in touch

A double from captain Tommaso Rocchi inspired Lazio to a 3-0 win over Serie A strugglers Novara on Monday and kept them in touch with leaders Juventus. Rocchi's double plus one from Giuseppe Biava gave Lazio an easy three points, over the third-from-bottom side, and kept them just four points adrift of Juventus. Biava opened the scoring with a header from Brazilian Hernanes's 16th minute corner and Rocchi doubled their lead seven minutes later with a bullet header from Cristian Ledesma's freekick. Lazio totally dominated the match and should have gone 3-0 up in the 53rd minute, but veteran German international striker Miroslav Klose, who has been the club's best player thus far this term, missed an open goal after rounding the goalkeeper. Rocchi ensured that that miss was forgotten as he wrapped up the points 18 minutes from time volleying home with the outside of his right foot from Uruguayan Alvaro Gonzalez's cross. Rocchi's performance increased the pressure on out of form and out of favour French striker Djibril Cisse, who was dropped after failing to score in the past eight weeks and then insulted his critics on his twitter account. However, the moody Frenchman did salute the spectators before the match and hit the post four minutes from time after coming on from the bench.