Paulo Dybala hit the woodwork and Nicolò Zaniolo had chances, but it was Bryan Cristante who gave Roma a slender victory away to Salernitana.
The Giallorossi started new buy Paulo Dybala in an all-attack line-up, while the hosts missed Matteo Lovato and Emil Bohinen for at least a couple of months, but launched debutants Antonio Candreva and Tonny Vilhena.
Zaniolo drilled off target after an early rapid counter-attack, then controlled a long ball over the top only to be denied by the goalkeeper’s shoulder.
Federico Bonazzoli’s oddly dipping and swerving strike caused Rui Patricio problems, while Paulo Dybala’s free kick was over the bar and Zaniolo fired wide after Tammy Abraham and Dybala combined.
The deadlock was broken with a bit of luck, as Bryan Cristante’s strike from the edge of the area took at least one deflection to bobble into the far bottom corner of the net.
Zaniolo went on a strong run to send Dybala clear, but his angled drive thumped the inside of the far post, perhaps with help from a Luigi Sepe fingertip.
Dybala went close again after the break, his angled drive flashing across the face of goal on a Leonardo Spinazzola assist, while Zaniolo cut inside from the right to hit a left-foot daisy-cutter that shaved a coat of paint off the upright.
Nemanja Matic and Georginio Wijnaldum made their debuts off the bench, replacing forwards Abraham and Zaniolo, as Mourinho tried to lock the game down.
Federico Bonazzoli’s flick off the outside of the boot was just past the near post. Wijnaldum had the ball in the net on his Serie A debut, but was offside when Dybala rolled across, having been sent through by Matic.
Salernitana 0-1 Roma
Cristante 33 (R)