Soccer-Sassuolo send second-placed Lazio to third successive defeat

ROME, July 11 (Reuters) - Second-placed Lazio slumped to a third successive defeat in the Serie A title race when they were beaten 2-1 at home by midtable Sassuolo in stifling heat at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Sassuolo had a goal disallowed for offside in the ninth minute and hit the bar before Lazio, beaten by AC Milan the previous Saturday and Lecce on Tuesday, went ahead with a Luis Alberto goal in the 33rd minute.

But Sassuolo hit back when Giacomo Raspadori turned in Francesco Caputo's cross seven minutes into the second half and Caputo himself headed the winner from point-blank range in stoppage time.

Lazio, plagued by injuries and struggling to cope with a hectic fixture list, remained stuck on 68 points, seven behind Juventus who were at home to third-placed Atalanta (66 points) later on Saturday. Sassuolo are eighth with 46. (Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Pritha Sarkar)