A wonderful team move finished off by Paulo Dybala allowed Roma to get the better of Udinese and leap into fifth place.
2023/2024 Serie A
3-1
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
19' Yellow Card! João Ferreira booked
20' GOAL! Roma 1-0 Udinese (G. Mancini)
26' Yellow Card! Lazar Samardžić booked
33' Yellow Card! Pellegrini booked
57' GOAL! Roma 1-1 Udinese (Thauvin)
73' Azmoun's shot stopped by goalkeeper!
81' GOAL! Roma 2-1 Udinese (Dybala)
90' GOAL! Roma 3-1 Udinese (El Shaarawy)
Match Report
The Giallorossi finally had Lorenzo Pellegrini back, but Renato Sanches, Chris Smalling, Tammy Abraham and Marash Kumbulla were still on the treatment table. The Friulani had an even longer absentee list including Roberto Pereyra, Gerard Deulofeu, Kingsley Ehizibue, Keinan Davis, Brenner, Enzo Ebosse, Vivaldo Semedo and Thomas Kristensen, but in their last two games had beaten Milan and held Atalanta.
Gianluca Mancini nodded a Pellegrini corner wide, but it was only a warm-up for the opening goal when Paulo Dybala floated a free kick over the top for Mancini to spring the offside trap and anticipate Jaka Bijol at the back post, steering the header across Marco Silvestri.
Pellegrini had a couple of attempts from distance and another Mancini header on a Leandro Paredes corner was glanced wide.
Romelu Lukaku also nodded inches wide from a Pellegrini corner, but the first genuine Udinese attempt on 51 minutes flashed off target from Florian Thauvin.
Moments later, Rui Patricio got down to smother the Walace snapshot and a period of Udinese pressure paid off with the equaliser. Martin Payero stood up a ball to the back post, where Thauvin got between Leonardo Spinazzola and Evan Ndicka for a cushioned header. It was an ideal way for the veteran to mark his 300th game in the top five leagues.
The Friulani continued to push, Diego Llorente needing a desperate tackle one-on-one with Thauvin, while Sardar Azmoun’s blushes were saved by the offside flag after his weak dink was denied by Silvestri.
Bryan Cristante’s header whistled wide on a Leandro Paredes free kick, but Roma restored their advantage with a sensational team move.
It was a series of one-touch passes involving Edoardo Bove, Azmoun and then Lukaku to send Dybala through the centre, where he beat Silvestri one-on-one.
The Giallorossi added a third late on with another well-worked move. Mancini’s long ball saw Lukaku hold off Jaka Bijol and spread it to Bove, who in turn passed again first time for El Shaarawy to sweep into the far bottom corner with the inside of the right boot.
Line-ups
Roma XI: Patricio, Lukaku, Paredes, Spinazzola, Dybala, Cristante, D.Llorente, Karsdorp, Pellegrini, G. Mancini, N'Dicka
Subs: El Shaarawy, S. Azmoun, Belotti, Zeki Çelik, Mile Svilar, Aouar, Rasmus Kristensen, Nicola Zalewski, Pietro Boer, Edoardo Bove, Riccardo Pagano, Niccolò Pisilli
Udinese XI: Silvestri, Thauvin, Success, Walace, N. Perez, Jaka Bijol, Martín Payero, João Ferreira, Lazar Samardžić, Jordan Zemura, Festy Ebosele
Subs: Padelli, Kabasele, Hassane Kamara, Masina, Sandi Lovrić, Maduka Okoye, Lorenzo Lucca, Oier Zarraga, Ake, Thomas Kristensen, Etienne Camara, Simone Pafundi, Antonio Tikvic