ROME, AS Roma capped a positive week with a clear and convincing victory. The Giallorossi beat Genoa 2-0 at home, with Santiago Castro and Emanuele Lulli both scoring their first goals for the club. The win solidifies second place in the standings, just two points behind leaders Inter, and comes after the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
Daniele De Rossi made seven changes from the side that faced Madrid, due in part to four injury absences and one suspension. In attack, the coach placed his trust in young Castro, flanked by Matias Soulé and Rodrigo Mora. The team controlled the game from the start, with Leonardo Balerdi coming close to scoring when he hit the crossbar from a corner.
The quickfire double
The deadlock was broken in the 50th minute with Santiago Castro’s first Serie A goal. Just minutes later, in the 68th, the lead was doubled by Emanuele Lulli, who finished off a precise assist from Soulé. Two goals in five minutes that sealed the match, despite a long-range effort from Stephan El Shaarawy that also struck the woodwork.
The victory takes Roma to 17 points after seven matchdays, with a record of five wins and two draws. The defence, having conceded only three league goals, remains a strong point. The team arrives on the back of a positive run of form, with three wins and one draw in their last four matches across all competitions. The next challenge is a tricky away fixture against Napoli, scheduled for Saturday, 24 October at 20:45.
Sporting director D’Amico reflected on the team’s path. “Certainly, to face certain competitions and be able to compete in matches like Wednesday’s, to have an excellent championship and confirm ourselves by reaching the Champions League, we will need to reach another step and add a little something,” he stated. He added, “We tried this summer and we didn’t succeed for various reasons, but we work every day, we know what our objectives are and we will do everything to improve.”
With this win, Roma keep pace with Inter at the top of Serie A and head into the next round with confidence.
This story first appeared at Straits Times Sport
