AS Roma 2 : 0 Torino - Roma climb to sixth after win

Posted Monday, November 19, 2012 by PA

Roma jumped to sixth place in Serie A as second-half goals from Pablo Osvaldo and Miralem Pjanic saw them ease to a 2-0 win over struggling Torino at the Stadio Olimpico.

Rallying from last Sunday's 3-2 loss at Lazio, Roma took the lead on 71 minutes when Mattos Marquinho was pushed over in the box and Osvaldo opened the scoring from the penalty spot.

And Pjanic made sure of the victory five minutes from time when his shot from outside the box took a deflection off Alessandro Gazzi, consigning Torino to just one win in seven Serie A games.

The hosts were on top from the start and Francesco Totti created the first chance for Pjanic in the fifth minute, crossing from the left only for the Bosnian to blaze his volley high over the bar.

Pjanic was at the centre of another Roma chance one minute later when he turned provider, crossing to Osvaldo, whose shot from the middle of the box flashed inches wide.

In a torrid opening spell for the visitors, Roma came close again on nine minutes when Erik Lamela burst out on a swift counter-attack and fed Osvaldo, who again missed the target from inside the box.

After Osvaldo shot wide from another opportunity, Torino had their first chance in the 29th minute when Alessandro Scrigna fed Alessio Cerci who shot well wide from 15 yards.

Roma keeper Mauro Goicoechea saved well to deny Rolando Bianchi as Torino ended the first half on a high, and Goicoechea saved well again to deny Cerci six minutes into the second half.

Alessandro Florenzi beat two defenders on his way to setting up a chance which Totti flashed over the bar in the 57th minute, then an Osvaldo effort was saved by Jean Francois Gillett as Roma responded well.

Roma finally took the lead from what looked a somewhat fortunate penalty decision and Torino coach Giampiero Ventura was sent to the stands for dissent following the decision.

Mattia Destro and Erik Lamela both had further chances for Roma before Pjanic scored his side's second from outside the box to wrap up a much-needed win for the home side.