Daniele De Rossi made an ideal debut on the Roma bench replacing Jose Mourinho, as the new tactics allowed Romelu Lukaku and Lorenzo Pellegrini to seal a 2-1 win over Verona.
It had been a dramatic few days in the Capital, as Mourinho was sacked after crashing out of the Coppa Italia and managing one point from three Serie A rounds. De Rossi was a club icon and revamped Mou’s tactics to a 4-3-2-1 formation, but Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante were suspended, Sardar Azmoun, Evan Ndicka and Houssem Aouar on international duty, plus Renato Sanches, Chris Smalling, Tammy Abraham and Marash Kumbulla injured. Hellas had Darko Lazovic, Ondrej Duda and Diego Coppola all banned too, selling Cyril Ngonge and Josh Doig.
Edoardo Bove’s inspired through ball for Rick Karsdorp saw a back-heel flick for the Romelu Lukaku shot charged down, while Suslov scuffed the finish.
Stephan El Shaarawy sprung the offside trap on a Lorenzo Pellegrini toe-poke and sprinted forward, squirmed between three defenders to lay it off for Lukaku to pass into the net from 12 yards. It was the first goal of the De Rossi era.
Brilliant work from Stephan El Shaarawy 💫
Finish from Romelu Lukaku 🤩Roma's talisman ends his mini goal drought to give his side the lead! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VvrkO8jILd
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 20, 2024
Moments later, Lukaku’s cross from the right was flicked on by El Shaarawy for Pellegrini, who controlled with difficulty at the back post and smashed the left-foot half-volley into the roof of the net.
Leonardo Spinazzola went off with a muscular problem and Dean Huijsen’s angled drive flashed across the face of goal, while Leandro Paredes was booked and will be suspended for the trip to Salernitana.
Pellegrini charged down the Suat Serdar strike from the edge of the box, then saw his own effort blocked by defenders in a similar position.
Hellas Verona had the ball in the net with a Michael Folorunsho looping header on 56 minutes, but it was harshly disallowed by the referee for a slight push on Rick Karsdorp.
The visitors did receive a penalty for the Milan Djuric header striking Diego Llorente on the arm. Djuric stepped up and blasted the spot-kick well over the bar.
Verona did get one back when Lazio supporter Folorunsho shrugged off Bove in midfield and blasted it from distance with his right boot, surprising Rui Patricio with the swerve and bending his hands back. Even though it had bend and power, the goalkeeper should’ve done better.
What a strike! 💫
It's 2-1 in Rome… 👀 pic.twitter.com/WOmpVvDqKx
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 20, 2024
Hellas began to pour forward with Juan Manuel Cruz and Folorunsho strikes over the bar, while Roma returned to a three-man defence and held on under wave after wave of attacks.
Rui Patricio had to rush off his line and use his legs to deny Serdar on a Cruz assist at the back post.
Roma 2-1 Verona
Lukaku 19 (R), Pellegrini 25 (R), Folorunsho 76 (V)
Missed penalty: Djuric 65 (V)
Player statistic
| Romelu Lukaku (Assist: Stephan El Shaarawy) |
 |
19' | ||
| Lorenzo Pellegrini (Assist: Stephan El Shaarawy) |
|
25' | ||
| Leandro Paredes |  |
41' |
| 53' | |
Pawel Dawidowicz | ||
| Diego Llorente | |
57' | ||
| 57' | |
Michael Folorunsho | ||
| 64' |  |
Milan Djuric | ||
| 76' | |
Michael Folorunsho (Assist: Lorenzo Montipò) |
Match statistic
