Lazio keep pace at the top, 10-man Roma earn draw at Como, Milan held by Sassuolo

REGGIO EMILIA, Italy, Oct 11 : Lazio maintained their impressive start to the season with a 3-1 win over Monza on Sunday to move level on points with Serie A leaders Inter Milan, AS Roma preserved their unbeaten record with a 0-0 draw at Como despite going down to 10 men and AC Milan drew 1-1 at Sassuolo.

Inter moved to 16 points with Saturday's 3-0 win over Parma and Lazio joined them despite almost allowing 10-man Monza back in the game. Roma are two points behind in third, with Milan fourth on 12 points and Como one point back in sixth spot.

Gennaro Gattuso's Lazio took a third-minute lead at the Stadio Olimpico when Nuno Tavares rifled an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from outside the area.

Midway through the first half, Lazio doubled their advantage with Gustav Isaksen finding the far bottom corner with a first-time shot from wide in the box. Monza's comeback chances then took a hammering when they had Lorenzo Lucchesi sent off 10 minutes before the break.

Instead, Lazio appeared to switch off, and Monza pulled one back in the opening minute of the second half. Dany Mota flicked on a corner for Saba Goglichidze to head home, and for long periods the visitors had Lazio under the cosh.

Mota was twice denied by Lazio keeper Christos Mandas and Samuele Birindelli pulled a shot narrowly wide before Lazio regrouped and finished off Monza's challenge two minutes from time through Andrea Pinamonti's strike from the edge of the six-yard box.

"We can't afford to play like we did in the second half," Gattuso told DAZN.

"We shouldn't be trying to manage the game. We need to keep doing things the right way."

ROMA AND MILAN LOSE GROUND

Roma were without injured keeper Mile Svilar, allowing Pierluigi Gollini to make his first