Mohamed Salah scored on his debut in a thrilling 3-1 Roma victory over Valencia at the Mestalla, winning the Naranja Trophy.
Rudi Garcia threw Salah straight into the starting XI for his debut just days after completing the transfer from Chelsea. Kevin Strootman was sidelined and Wojciech Szczesny given his first start too on the night Valencia presented the new squad to their fans in the Trofeo Naranja.
Mohamed Salah scored on his debut in a thrilling 3-1 Roma victory over Valencia at the Mestalla, winning the Naranja Trophy.
Rudi Garcia threw Salah straight into the starting XI for his debut just days after completing the transfer from Chelsea. Kevin Strootman was sidelined and Wojciech Szczesny given his first start too on the night Valencia presented the new squad to their fans in the Trofeo Naranja.
It was the perfect start for Roma and their new signing Salah, as he scored within nine minutes at the Mestalla. Gervinho did most of the work, springing the offside trap on a divine Francesco Totti pass, his shot coming off the post, the second effort hitting the other upright and the rebound turned in from a yard by the Egyptian.
Paco Alcacer just failed to get on the end of a Rodrigo low cross, but Roma doubled their advantage with a great team goal.
Gervinho flew down the right, the roll across was carried on by Salah and Miralem Pjanic until Totti swept home with the inside of his right boot.
Szczesny fumbled a cross and Daniele De Rossi was there to perform a crucial goalline clearance, then moments later Rodrigo De Paul smacked his shot against the crossbar.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa gave away the Valencia goal with a defensive howler, which allowed Feghouli to go clear and beat Szczesny one-on-one.
It should’ve been 2-2, but Rodrigo hit the side-netting from a great scoring position, then Ryan had a fine one-handed save on Pjanic and Totti’s screamer skimmed the post.
De Rossi seemed to sprain his ankle all by himself, getting stuck in a divot, and hobbled off the field. Szczesny denied Cancelo with help from the upright and Feghouli thought he had equalised, but the goal was flagged offside.
Gervinho extended Roma’s lead moments later, sprinting on to a Totti through ball and placing a snooker shot into the far bottom corner.
Valencia had another goal disallowed for a push and the irritation sparked a touchline scuffle as well as a very dangerous Otamendi tackle on Gervinho.
Szczesny needed two attempts to parry a Bakkali snapshot, but the tension continued and Kostas Manolas was substituted after getting a little too heated.
Iago Falque almost added a fourth in stoppages, his snapshot skimming the bar.
Valencia 1-3 Roma
Scorers: Salah 9 (R), Totti 24 (R), Feghouli 30 (V), Gervinho 55 (R)
Valencia: Ryan; Cancelo, Mustafi, Otamendi, Gaya, Parejo (Santi Mina 80), Feghouli (Bakkali 69), De Paul (Piatti 69), Enzo Perez (Danilo Barbosa 69), Rodrigo (Javi Fuego 69), Alcacer (Negredo 69)
Roma: Szczesny; Florenzi (Maicon 70), Yanga-Mbiwa, Manolas (Castan 87), Torosidis (Cole 70); Nainggolan, De Rossi (Keita 51), Pjanic (Ucan 91); Salah (Ibarbo 46), Totti (Iago Falque 70), Gervinho (Iturbe 70)
Image via @officialasroma