Fisayo Dele-Bashiru made a memorable start to his European journey, scoring his first goal and providing an assist for Lazio in their UEFA Europa League opener.

The midfielder, who joined Lazio on a season-long loan from Turkish side Hatayspor, played a pivotal role in Lazio’s 3-1 victory against Dynamo Kyiv.

The match held at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, a neutral venue due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine saw Lazio strike twice within 120 seconds and totaling dominate the match.

Dele-Bashiru, deployed in a more advanced role, contributed a goal and set up a free header for Boulaye Dia, who scored twice on the night.

Baroni’s Praise for Dele-Bashiru

Marco Baroni, Head Coach of Lazio. (Photo by Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images)

Ahead of the game, Lazio manager Marco Baroni had expressed high expectations for Dele-Bashiru’s performance.

Baroni opted to move the midfielder further up the field, and his decision paid off.

“I expected a lot from Dele-Bashiru tonight, and he delivered,” said Baroni after the game.

“He’s still developing, but once he learns to focus more on tactics and positioning rather than just when the ball is at his feet, he’ll become a complete modern midfielder.”

Dele-Bashiru’s impressive display on his European debut marks an exciting step in his career, with Lazio interested in signing him on a permanent transfer