AS Roma made a bold statement with a 3-0 win against Udinese at the Stadio Olimpico to lock down the third spot on the Serie A table.
Jose Mourinho’s men, courtesy of the win, have now gone threw points clear of AC Milan.
They are also five points ahead of Inter Milan as they aim to return to the Champions League after some years of absence.
This was an excellent response from the Giallorossi on the back of Thursday’s 1-0 Europa League quarter-final defeat to Feyenoord.
Despite the squad being stretched, they recorded a convincing win, as they are currently without Paulo Dybala and Rick Karsdorp.
The visitors got the match’s first real chance as Lazar Samardzic curled off target and tested Rui Patricio with a free kick.
Roma would later get a big chance through a free kick that was knocked back and forth until Gianluca Mancini’s header was palmed out from under the bar by Marco Silvestri.
After the chaotic move, there was a lengthy stoppage as Bryan Cristante clashed heads with Isaac Success. Played had to be stopped for several minutes while patched up.
Silvestri was again called into action when he saved Wijnaldum’s shot from a tricky angle.
Roma eventually got a penalty from the resulting corner as Andrea Belotti’s header struck a raised Roberto Pereyra arm.
Although the header went wide anyway, a penalty was awarded upon VAR review.
Having missed a spot-kick on Thursday against Feyenoord, Lorenzo Pellegrini handed over the penalty duty to Cristante, who fired his effort against the upright. However, Edoardo Bove was the quickest to rebound.
Walace’s daisy-cutter was deflected just wide, and Silvestri made a fine one-handed save on Pellegrini’s viciously dipping free kick.
Pellegrini finally got a goal to mark his 100th game as captain of Roma. Belotti broke down the left, cut inside, and set up the midfielder, who made a smart first touch and swept past on-rushing Silvestri to make it two to score his first Serie A goal from open play since October 2021.
Gini Wijnaldum had to be taken off as a precaution d complaining of dizziness due to a knock to the head.
Udinese later missed the chance to reduce the deficit after being awarded a penalty for handball from Mancini, who charged down Sandi Lovric’s strike.
Pereyra’s effort was weak and an easy catch for Rui Patricio.
Abraham was brought in, and he wrapped up the game in stoppages with a glancing header into the near top corner on Leonardo Spinazzola’s cross.
Written by Oladipupo Mojeed
