Former NYCFC player Valentín Castellanos scored his first goal for Lazio

When former New York City FC player Valentín Castellanos joined S.S. Lazio over the summer, many were hopeful the forward could find success in Italy. It would be difficult though, for the Serie A team had attacking players who were in front of him, including Ciro Immobile.

As a result, the start of the season has not been easy for Castellanos. He struggled to earn playing time and mostly came off the bench as a substitute. He only received his first start of the season last weekend against AC Milan. With Immobile's muscular injury, he received the nod again in this Sunday's game against Atalanta BC.

Valentín Castellanos scored his first goal for Lazio

Finally, after a few months in Italy, Castellanos scored his first goal for Lazio. The NYCFC legend added to his team's tally to put them up 2-0 on Atalanta in the 11th minute. His teammate, Felipe Anderson, sent the ball into the box, and it neatly fell in front of the Argentine. With one kick, Castellanos swept the ball into the right side of the goal.

Afterward, the Argentine celebrated with his iconic hands-on-his-face celebration. It was clear he was joyous and relieved to finally score his first goal in Italy. Yet, his contributions to the match did not end there.

Atalanta was able to score twice to bring the game level. For a little while, it felt like Lazio would not grab all three points. But in the 83rd minute, Matías Vecino scored to lead them to a 3-2 win. It was Castellanos who assisted his teammate. Hence, he helped his team win the match.

Additionally, the Argentine played the entirety of the 90 minutes. He created two attacking chances for Lazio and helped out on the defensive end too. He showed his new club that he is a versatile striker who can aid in all aspects of the game.

Hopefully, Castellanos will see more starts as the season progresses. Perhaps he can knock Immobile out of the Starting XI. If he can turn into a star in Serie A, then there is no question he can be the best former New York City FC player in Europe.