Rome  - Mauro Zarate scored a brace for Lazio Saturday as the Rome side beat visiting Bologna 2-0 in a Serie A weekend opener.

The young Argentine stunned Francesco Antonioli on 36 minutes curling a free kick above the wall into the corner by the closest post.

Throughout the first half, Pasquale Foggia was a major worry for Bologna down the left flank as the Rome hosts dominated the game.

Bologna wasted their single good chance on 39 minutes with a squandered drive from Uruguay defender Diego Rodriguez, while the league top striker Marco Di Vaio had no opportunity to improve his 16-goal tally.

Coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, a former defender with Lazio, beefed up Bologna's attack after the break, bringing on Massimo Marazzina and Massimo Mutarelli, also an ex-Lazio player.

Bologna, however, achieved little and ran some risks on the swift counter attack from Lazio.

Zarate secured Lazio's win with nine minutes to go, this time beating the onrushing Antonioli with a neat flick after playing a one-two with substitute Tommaso Rocchi.

Di Vaio missed the chance to pull one back in the final minutes as he fired at Uruguay's goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

Lazio retained a comfortable mid-table position, while Bologna are one point above the three-team relegation zone.

In later action, second-place Juventus welcome Napoli at Turin's Stadio Olimpico, where they look to reduce their nine-point gap from Inter Milan, who welcome Roma late Sunday. (dpa)