Serie A | Lecce 0-2 Roma: Criticised strikers deliver goods, but new injury woe

Under-fire strikers Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk stepped up with precious goals for Roma to beat Lecce, but the Ukrainian limped off with yet another injury.

The Giallorossi were still smarting after a controversial 1-0 defeat to Atalanta, which saw Juventus catch them in joint fourth place. Mario Hermoso and Gianluca Mancini were suspended, with Evan Ndicka and Neil El Aynaoui at AFCON, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Leon Bailey, Tommaso Baldanzi and Pierluigi Gollini injured, plus Devyne Rensch had flu. It gave Daniele Ghilardi and Niccolò Pisilli rare starts, with Bryan Cristante moved into a more advanced role, as Artem Dovbyk and Matias Soulé were not at 100 per cent. Lecce had Tete Morente, Medon Berisha, Balthazar Pierret and Christian Fruchtl injured, with Lassana Coulibaly at AFCON and coach Eusebio Di Francesco sitting out a touchline ban.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Ylber Ramadani’s early effort was charged down, but Roma took the lead when Paulo Dybala’s disguised pass released Evan Ferguson, who took a touch and drilled into the near bottom corner from 15 yards.

Pisilli had the ball in the net too when he gathered a Wesley ball over the top and scored from six yards, but the offside flag was up.

Wladimiro Falcone used his legs to parry a Ferguson finish at the near post, but Lecce really should’ve equalised on 59 minutes when Konan N’Dri pulled back from the right, only for Santiago Pierotti to horribly shin the finish from 12 yards.

Moments later, Dybala failed to redirect the powerful but wayward Wesley strike, while N’Dri didn’t have enough behind his finish to trouble Mile Svilar.

Bryan Cristante in a more advanced role fired over from Dybala’s assist, but Roma doubled their advantage when Dybala’s corner was flicked on to Pisilli, a control and half-volley turning into an accidental assist for Dovbyk to turn in from close range.

However, Dovbyk pulled up clutching the back of his thigh and the substitute limped off. When Cristante was trying to slow play down to get him treatment, this sparked a scuffle, so the midfielder was booked and will be suspended against Sassuolo.

Ferguson 14 (R), Dovbyk 71 (R)