Lorenzo Pellegrini’s curler from outside the box proved enough for Roma to squeeze past Sassuolo and stay in the hunt for Champions League qualification.
The Giallorossi were coming off Thursday’s painless defeat at Brighton, losing Paulo Dybala, Chris Smalling and Rasmus Kristensen, but Tammy Abraham was on the bench for the first time since knee surgery in June. At least Romelu Lukaku shook off a recurring hip inflammation to start with Houssem Aouar in a more advanced role. Sassuolo stunned Frosinone on new coach Davide Ballardini’s debut, but Kristian Thorstvedt and Josh Doig were suspended with Domenico Berardi out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.
See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.
Lukaku immediately went close, nodding the Leonardo Spinazzola cross wide, but found it difficult to create chances against a Sassuolo side with 10 men behind the ball.
Spinazzola limped off with a muscular problem after just 36 minutes, making way for Angelino, and Stephan El Shaarawy several times turned into a left-back with defensive blocks on Pedersen.
Lukaku’s glancing header flashed just wide on the Lorenzo Pellegrini cross, but the deadlock was finally broken when Pellegrini cut inside from the left and bent a right-foot curler into the far bottom corner.
That's a brilliant finish! 👏
Lorenzo Pellegrini gives Roma the lead in style ✨
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/TQCapkdMwP
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 17, 2024
Sassuolo fought back, as Mile Svilar had to get down quickly to beat away the Uros Racic daisy-cutter from the edge of the area, while Martin Erlic threw himself in the way of Lukaku’s strike.
Tommaso Baldanzi tested Andrea Consigli at the near post on a Zeki Celik pull-back, but Sassuolo almost equalised on 81 minutes in chaotic fashion.
Diego Llorente risked an own goal by redirecting a Nedim Bajrami pull-back from the by-line onto the upright from point-blank range and Mattia Viti turned the rebound over.
Roma 1-0 Sassuolo
Pellegrini 50 (R)
Player statistic
| Lorenzo Pellegrini (Assist: Leandro Paredes) |
 |
50' | ||
| Lorenzo Pellegrini |  |
59' | ||
| Sardar Azmoun | |
89' | ||
| 90' | |
Martin Erlic |
Match statistic
