Mueez Ajao
– A long-range strike by defender Gianluca Mancini earned AS Roma a 1-0 home win over Juventus in Serie A on Sunday, ending the visitors’ unbeaten run of seven games in all competitions.
– Roma, who became the first Serie A side to be beaten by lowly Cremonese on Tuesday, have now won five home games in a row without conceding a goal.
– They moved back into fourth in the standings on 47 points, one point behind third-placed Lazio and level with AC Milan in fifth, in their bid to secure a first top-four finish in five years.
Also Read: Mourinho threatens legal action against ref after seeing red for third time this season
– Juventus had their first attempt on target in the fourth minute when forward Dusan Vlahovic latched on to Angel Di Maria’s lofted free kick, but his first-time effort was saved by Roma keeper Rui Patricio.
– Roma forward Paulo Dybala responded in the 27th with a long curling effort but Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny did well to parry it away.
– With little action inside or around either of the boxes, Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli tried a brilliant long-range strike in the 42nd minute but failed to surprise Patricio, who made a save.
– Two minutes later, Adrien Rabiot’s cheeky header was deflected by Patricio with his knee on to the post, maintaining the scoreline goalless at half-time.
– In a clash which sprang to life after the break, Mancini sealed the win for Roma in the 53rd minute, sending a powerful low shot into the bottom left corner and leaving Szczesny no chance.
– Juventus, who conceded a goal from outside the box in Serie A for the first time since May 2022, could have bounced back just before the hour mark, but Juan Cuadrado’s powerful free kick hit the left post.
– Di Maria had another chance from a distance in the 78th but Patricio stopped it from going into the top corner. Minutes later, Di Maria’s free kick hit Roma’s defensive wall.
– Juventus, who had multiple chances to level the score, were left with 10 men just before full-time when substitute Moise Kean kicked out at Mancini, after the Roma player had grabbed his shirt in a tussle, and got a straight red card one minute after coming on.
– Patricio made a victory-rescuing save eight minutes into stoppage time when he dived to stop a low effort by Juventus defender Danilo.
– Juventus, who got six wins with a clean sheet from their previous seven away Serie A games, dropped one place to eighth on 35 points, seven behind sixth-placed Atalanta, who occupy the last European spot.
๐๐ง
A wonder goal from Gianluca Mancini is enough for @ASRomaEN to secure a huge win at home ๐บ#RomaJuve pic.twitter.com/50bXgwK8YE
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 5, 2023