News Focus
- AS Roma secured a comprehensive 4-0 victory over ACF Fiorentina to boost their Champions League qualification hopes
- The Giallorossi are now just one point behind fourth-placed Juventus in the Serie A table
- Teenage striker Riccardo Braschi hit the post on his debut for Fiorentina after coming on as a substitute
- Stephan El Shaarawy received a yellow card for dissent during a heated moment in the second half
- SS Lazio travelled to US Cremonese in an earlier kick-off as the home side battle to avoid relegation
AS Roma produced a commanding performance to defeat ACF Fiorentina by four goals to nil in their Serie A Week 35 clash. The result keeps the capital club firmly in the hunt for a place in next season’s Champions League.
The match kicked off at 8:45 PM local time on Sunday evening. Roma knew that only a victory would keep the pressure on the teams above them in the race for the top four. Fiorentina, meanwhile, were looking to secure their status in the division for another campaign.
The home side dominated the contest from the first whistle. They created numerous chances throughout the 90 minutes and could have won by an even larger margin. The defence remained solid at the back, limiting Fiorentina to few clear opportunities.
One of the main talking points came when Stephan El Shaarawy was shown a yellow card. The incident occurred after Wesley was brought down right on the edge of the penalty area by Parisi. The referee awarded a free kick but booked El Shaarawy for his reaction and dissent. A VAR check confirmed the foul had taken place outside the box.
Fiorentina manager Vincenzo Italiano turned to his youth academy during the match. He introduced 18-year-old striker Riccardo Braschi for his senior debut. The teenager nearly wrote a fairytale story when he struck the post with a fierce shot just 60 seconds after entering the pitch. The young forward turned sharply before hitting the woodwork.
Roma made several changes as the game progressed. Coach Jose Mourinho brought on Ziolkowski and Robinio Vaz to replace Hermoso and Malen. The latter had earlier gone close to scoring himself when his shot from the edge of the area was tipped onto the crossbar by the Fiorentina goalkeeper.
The Giallorossi added to their lead when Malen produced a clever cross with the outside of his right boot. The ball found Pisilli at the back post, who headed home to seal the comfortable victory.
There were some nervous moments for the Roma backline. Dodo delivered a dangerous cross from the right flank that caused confusion in the box. Goalkeeper Svilar looked uncertain whether to claim the ball, but defender Ndicka intervened to turn it wide for a corner.
At half-time, the home supporters were treated to a special celebration. The Roma Women’s team paraded their trophy in front of the Curva Sud after winning their third league title.
In the earlier fixture, SS Lazio visited US Cremonese. That match began at 6:30 PM local time. Cremonese entered the game in desperate need of points to keep their slim hopes of avoiding relegation alive. Lazio, who are preparing for the Coppa Italia final, provided a stern test for the struggling hosts.
The weekend results leave Roma with everything to play for in the final weeks of the Serie A season.