Serie A | Roma 3-1 Genoa – De Rossi dismantled on Olimpico return

Roma leapfrogged Juventus into the Serie A top four thanks to a 3-1 victory over Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday evening: Matias Soule, Manu Kone, Evan Ferguson and Jeff Ekhator with the goals. 

This was a particularly sentimental fixture for both head coaches: Gian Piero Gasperini had spent eight years in charge of Genoa across two separate spells, while former Giallorossi captain De Rossi returned to the Stadio Olimpico for the first time since being dismissed as Roma head coach last September.

The Giallorossi were coming in off the back of a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Juventus before Christmas. Gian Piero Gasperini was without Evan Ndicka and Neil El Aynaoui again, both away for the Africa Cup of Nations. Tommaso Baldanzi was also ruled out through illness, but there was a spot on the bench for the returning Artem Dovbyk. 

Genoa did not have goalkeeper Nicola Leali after his early sending off against Atalanta last weekend, while Alessandro Marcandalli dropped out of the back three for Leo Ostigaard in De Rossi’s only other change. 

You can see how the action unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

It was Matias Soule who had the home crowd celebrating less than a quarter of an hour in. Jan Ziolkowski’s clearance on the half-way line drew a desperate header from Johan Vasquez, which fell nicely into the path of Soule, who tucked away for 1-0. 

The hosts’ advantage was doubled less than five minutes later when Gianluca Mancini’s ball in from the right fell nicely for Kone in the centre of the area. The Frenchman’s first-time finish took a significant deflection off Morten Frendrup on its way into the bottom corner. 

Roma had Ruslan Malinovskyi to thank for their third. It was his error in possession on the edge of the area that gave Soule the ball from 15 yards out. The Argentine saw his shot saved, but Ferguson was switched on and raced in to tap home the rebound for 3-0.

It was close to 4-0 before the interval: Kone forced Sommariva to tip his shot onto the post, and though the Frenchman had the ball in the back of the net on the follow-up, he was adjudged to have fouled the stopper in the process.

Realistically, it was next to impossible for Genoa to get anything out of this game after the first half. Roma have not lost any match from a winning position this season, let alone from 3-0 up. 

Bryan Cristante came closest to claiming the Giallorossi fourth in the second period with a very well-hit half volley from the edge of the area, which required a top-draw save from Daniele Sommariva to turn it round the post for a corner. 

De Rossi’s side did claim a late consolation through second-half sub Ekhator, whose shot beat Mile Svilar thanks to an enormous deflection off Nicolo Pisilli after Aaron Martin’s deep free-kick delivery. 

Tonight’s result sees Roma move back into fourth place in the Serie A standings at the expense of Juventus. Genoa avoid the bottom three on this occasion, but they are now in a delicate position in 17th place, just two points above Hellas Verona, who have a game in hand.

Soule 14’, Kone 19’, Ferguson 31’, Ekhator 87’.