Resurgent Roma leave Empoli feeling blue

Mueez Ajao

– Roma had the points locked down within six minutes thanks to identical Roger Ibanez and Tammy Abraham headers on corners, while Guglielmio Vicario’s triple save kept it at 2-0.

– The Giallorossi were feeling the tension after Nicolò Zaniolo tried to force a January transfer, they lost to Serie A leaders Napoli and crashed out of the Coppa Italia to Cremonese. Leonardo Spinazzola was out injured and Rick Karsdorp still frozen out. The Tuscans were unbeaten in six, including a victory away to 10-man Inter, with Fabiano Parisi and Liam Henderson back from suspension, but Mattia Destro, Ardian Ismajli, Lorenzo Tonelli and Alberto Grassi out of action.

– It took barely 90 seconds to break the deadlock, as Paulo Dybala whipped in a free kick for the Roger Ibanez free header from eight yards, bouncing off the turf to surprise Guglielmo Vicario. Incredibly, all six of Ibanez’s career Serie A goals have been headers.

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– The second goal was practically identical, again Dybala swinging in the corner and this time Tammy Abraham with the header from six yards.

– Dybala nearly added one himself, running onto the Nemanja Matic through ball, cutting inside and drilling inches wide of the near post.

– Rui Patricio rushed off his line to smother at the feet of Tommaso Baldanzi, while Abraham had penalty appeals for a potential Koni De Winter clip on the back of his boot.

– Abraham was allowed another free header on a corner, which Vicario palmed out from under the crossbar, then nodded wide from a Lorenzo Pellegrini free kick.

– Ciccio Caputo saw his strike crucially charged down by Gianluca Mancini and Razvan Marin blasted a free kick well over, but Empoli really should’ve equalised when Marin’s set play found Tyronne Ebuehi at the back post, volleying over with his knee from a yard out.

– Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro also smashed a right-foot scorcher just wide, but straight after the restart Vicario performed a career-best extraordinary triple save. On the corner, he parried first Dybala’s volley, then the Mancini follow-up and used his trailing foot to kick an Abraham header off the line from point-blank range.

– Rui Patricio needed two touches to get Baldanzi’s solo effort under control, Parisi failed to make the most of a Matic misplaced pass and Cambiaghi flicked the ball back over his shoulder and the bar.

– Diego Llorente made his debut in stoppages after a deadline day move from Leeds United.