AS Roma 2 - 1 Lazio: Roma secure sixth straight win with hard-fought derby victory

Posted Sunday, November 19, 2017 by PA

Roma leapfrogged city rivals Lazio and put themselves firmly in Serie A title contention with a hard-fought 2-1 win in the Stadio Olimpico.

Two goals in four minutes early in the second half from Diego Perotti and Radja Nainggolan were enough to move Eusebio Di Francesco's side up to third after an impressive sixth straight win in all competitions.

Lazio reduced the deficit through a Ciro Immobile penalty but ultimately saw the end of their own nine-game winning run which stretched back to September.

Intent on making an impression from the start, Roma started well with Nainggolan firing an early chance wide before Edin Dzeko forced the first save from Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha after 17 minutes.

Danger-man Dzeko then almost got on the end of a cross by Perotti before the visitors had their first chance, Marco Parolo bringing a leaping save out of Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson.

Immobile missed with a header just before the half-hour mark for Lazio, but Roma retained control with Kevin Strootman seeing two chances go begging late in the first period and Dzeko forcing another save out of Strakosha.

The game changed in the first nine minutes of the second half, Roma grabbing the lead through Perotti's 49th-minute penalty after Lazio's Angolan defender Bastos was ruled to have fouled Aleksandar Kolarov in the box.

And four minutes later Roma doubled their lead when Perotti threaded the ball to Nainggolan who blasted a low shot past Strakosha from the edge of the box.

Desperate to claw something from the game, Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi made two changes, introducing Nani and Jordan Lukaku, and his side came close to reducing the deficit through Luis Alberto.

But it was Roma who continued to look more dangerous, Nainggolan seeing another long-range shot blocked before Kolarov came close with another effort from just outside the box.

Lazio finally saw hope in the 72nd minute when the referee's initial decision not to award a penalty for handball against Kostas Manolas was reversed on video review, and Immobile kept his nerve to make it 2-1.

The visitors pushed with increasing desperation for an equaliser and came close when Parolo lashed an effort from distance just wide from the edge of the box.

Seeking to atone for his earlier error in giving away Roma's penalty, Bastos might also have grabbed a dramatic draw but his stoppage-time effort was saved by Alisson.