Perfect ten for rampant Roma
November 02, 2013
MILAN: Marco Borriello headed his first goal of the season to secure a 1-0 win for Roma over Chievo and extend the leaders’ new all-time Serie A record of opening season wins to 10 on Thursday.
Roma, who have scored 24 and conceded just once this campaign, restored their lead of five points on second-placed Napoli and Juventus after their wins over Fiorentina and Catania respectively on Wednesday.
Rudi Garcia’s side were afforded the honour of being the first Italian team to record nine opening wins in succession last weekend thanks to a late 1-0 win away to feisty Udinese.
Despite missing captain Francesco Totti and Gervinho through injury and with defender Douglas Maicon suspended, Roma dominated throughout but found Chievo a tough nut to crack.
Chievo, sitting bottom with one win and only four points and also missing French striker Cyril Thereau due to a late injury, proved hard to break down in a first period in which Roma should have hit the net several times.
The visitors’ goalkeeper Christian Puggioni punched away a long-distance drive from Dutchman Kevin Strootman, while Daniele De Rossi missed the target with a header and Marquinho flashed an angled drive wide.
The hosts continued to dominate after the break but shots by Miralem Pjanic and De Rossi hit bodies in a packed Chievo defensve aread.
Faced with the prospect of an unwelcome draw, Garcia added fizz by replacing Marquinho with striker Alessandro Florenzi and the hosts broke the deadlock several minutes later.
Pjanic’s pass found Florenzi deep on the left and the forward’s inviting volley was promptly headed home by Borriello from six yards.
Roma, who have scored 24 and conceded just once this campaign, restored their lead of five points on second-placed Napoli and Juventus after their wins over Fiorentina and Catania respectively on Wednesday.
Rudi Garcia’s side were afforded the honour of being the first Italian team to record nine opening wins in succession last weekend thanks to a late 1-0 win away to feisty Udinese.
Despite missing captain Francesco Totti and Gervinho through injury and with defender Douglas Maicon suspended, Roma dominated throughout but found Chievo a tough nut to crack.
Chievo, sitting bottom with one win and only four points and also missing French striker Cyril Thereau due to a late injury, proved hard to break down in a first period in which Roma should have hit the net several times.
The visitors’ goalkeeper Christian Puggioni punched away a long-distance drive from Dutchman Kevin Strootman, while Daniele De Rossi missed the target with a header and Marquinho flashed an angled drive wide.
The hosts continued to dominate after the break but shots by Miralem Pjanic and De Rossi hit bodies in a packed Chievo defensve aread.
Faced with the prospect of an unwelcome draw, Garcia added fizz by replacing Marquinho with striker Alessandro Florenzi and the hosts broke the deadlock several minutes later.
Pjanic’s pass found Florenzi deep on the left and the forward’s inviting volley was promptly headed home by Borriello from six yards.
