Matias Vecino struck late to secure a 3-2 win for Lazio over Atalanta on Sunday which pushed his team away from Serie A's relegation zone.

Uruguay midfielder Vecino lashed in a superb volley from Valentin Castellanos' knockdown in the 83rd minute in Rome, his second goal in as many games after also scoring in Wednesday's Champions League win at Celtic.

His strike saved Lazio's blushes as they had thrown away a two-goal lead established by Charles De Ketelaere's early own goal and Castellanos' first goal for the club in the 11th minute.

Two free headers either side of half-time from Ederson and Sead Kolasinac drew Atalanta level but Vecino made sure of Lazio's third win of the Serie A season and 12th spot on 10 points, six away from the bottom three. 

Lazio finished second behind runaway league winners Napoli last term but got off to a dreadful start to the campaign which has been marked by tensions between coach Maurizio Sarri and owner Claudio Lotito.

However they are two points above local rivals Roma, who are at Cagliari later on Sunday rocked by rumours that Jose Mourinho could be sacked if his team doesn't win in Sardinia.

A source denied to AFP on Saturday that Roma were thinking of sacking Mourinho or had spoken to former Germany and Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick, but a bad start to the league season has left fans who have worshipped him for two years wondering where the team is going.

Atalanta sit sixth on 13 points, a single point ahead of surprise packages Monza and Frosinone, who respectively beat Salernitana 3-0 and Verona 2-1.

Later, champions Napoli try to stay in touch with leaders AC Milan, when they host high-flying Fiorentina.

Rudi Garcia's side sit fourth, level on 14 points with Sunday's opponents and need a win over the Tuscans in order to keep the gap between them and Milan at four points.

td/ea