Roma suffered a shock home defeat to Empoli in a game filled with errors at both ends, as Paulo Dybala and teammates hit the woodwork three times.
La Joya was given a huge welcome at the Stadio Olimpico after rejecting a €75m contract over three years at Al-Qadsiah and returned to the starting XI, as did Leandro Paredes after suspension. Empoli were still missing Samuele Perisan, Szymon Zurkowski, Luca Belardinelli and Tyronne Ebuehi, with Alberto Grassi and coach Roberto D’Aversa banned.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Jacopo Fazzini went on a run from his own half to fire wide with a slight deflection, from the resulting corner Emmanuel Gyasi was totally unmarked at the back post only to incredibly nod wide.
They managed to waste an even clearer scoring opportunity on 20 minutes, as Fazzini again surged forward to test Mile Svilar, then Lorenzo Colombo somehow nodded onto the crossbar of an open goal on the rebound.
Roma had their best chance of the game so far when Lorenzo Pellegrini got his head to the Dybala cross, forcing a sensational reaction save out of Devis Vasquez.
However, Empoli took the lead moments later instead. Colombo flicked on the Giuseppe Pezzella cross from the left and Gyasi dived in with a clumsy, but still effective, tap-in at the back post.
There was an incredible double Roma opportunity straight after the restart, as first Pellegrini’s scorcher thumped the crossbar, then Gianluca Mancini’s diving header turned the rebound onto the far post.
Instead, Paredes first gave the ball away in midfield, then foolishly dived into a needless tackle on Sebastiano Esposito just inside the penalty area. Colombo converted by firing into the roof of the net to give Empoli a 2-0 lead.
A stunning Dybala first-time strike was fingertipped round the far post by Vasquez, followed by a Mancini header easily smothered.
It turned into a siege, a Dybala effort deflected and Enzo Le Fée volleying inches over from the edge of the area.
Roma did get a foothold in the game with two substitutes, as Tommaso Baldanzi got to the by-line and stood up the cross for the towering Eldor Shomurodov header.
Moments later, the Uzbekistan international had another header saved by Vasquez, as did Dovbyk on the resulting corner.
Dovbyk got his heel to a Nicola Zalewski pull-back from the by-line, but not enough power to push it into the net.
Dybala thought he had equalised at the 94th minute, but his low drive on the turn bounced off the inside of the far post.
Svilar also kept the hope alive in stoppages with a save on Esposito.
Roma 1-2 Empoli
Gyasi 45 (E), Colombo pen 61 (E), Shomurodov 80 (R)
Player statistic
| 26' |  |
Youssef Maleh | ||
| 45' |  |
Emmanuel Gyasi (Assist: Lorenzo Colombo) |
| 58' | |
Ola Solbakken | ||
| 61' |  |
Lorenzo Colombo | ||
| Eldor Shomurodov (Assist: Tommaso Baldanzi) |
|
80' | ||
| 84' | |
Liberato Cacace |
Match statistic
BEAUTIFUL!!! Colombo with the winning goal as well 🤗
I hope Roma doesn’t go to relegation under De Rossi the poor coach.
Roma have to fire De Rossi and get a proper manager