Five goals in two Serie A appearances. Donyell Malen picked up where he left off in matchday two, putting Roma 1-0 up inside four minutes at Via del Mare and doubling the lead before the half-hour mark. Matías Soulé added a third before halftime, and substitute Rodrigo Mora scored his first Roma goal after the break to complete a 4-0 demolition that sends Gian Piero Gasperini’s side to the top of the table, according to thescore.com.
Key Moments
- 4′, Malen opens the scoring, finishing early to give Roma an immediate foothold at Via del Mare.
- 23′, Malen doubles Roma’s lead, converting a chance set up by Wesley to make it 2-0.
- 25′, Matías Soulé extends the advantage to 3-0 two minutes later, effectively ending Lecce’s hopes before halftime.
- 60′, Soulé and Wesley are withdrawn, with Rodrigo Mora and Nahuel Molina introduced as Gasperini rotates with the game won.
- 65′, Mora taps in from a Gianluca Mancini assist to score his first goal for Roma, five minutes after coming on.
- 84′, Marten de Roon enters the pitch as a late substitute for Paulo Dybala, making his Roma debut, per goal.com.
Tactical Breakdown
Roma’s dominance was total and immediate. Gasperini’s 3-4-2-1 pressed Lecce high and won the game in a frantic opening half-hour. Roma finished with 64% possession, 15 shots (eight on target) and an xG of 3.35 against a Lecce side that managed just 0.74, which itself overstates how threatening the hosts were. Eight of Roma’s shots came from inside the box, and the passing accuracy of 88% (596 from 680) reflected how comfortable they were in possession throughout.
Lecce tried to address the damage at halftime, making two immediate substitutions as coach Eusebio Di Francesco pulled Tiago Gabriel and Olaf Gorter. A third change came at the 54th minute when Willem Geubbels was replaced. None of it altered the dynamic. Roma, already three up, managed the second half at their own pace. Gasperini began rotating at the hour mark, taking off Soulé and Wesley, and the move paid an immediate dividend when Mora scored on 65 minutes. Malen, who had picked up a yellow card in the ninth minute, was then substituted off at 67 alongside Manu Koné, their night’s work long done.
Lecce’s problems were systemic rather than individual. They had just three shots on target all game, made nine offsides against zero, and never established any grip in midfield. Lassana Coulibaly was their best performer by some distance with a rating of 7.3, but with the game gone by the half-hour mark, there was little any Lecce player could do to change the outcome.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
Roma sit top of Serie A with six points from six and a goal difference of plus eight after two rounds, level on points with Inter and AC Milan but ahead on goal difference. Gasperini’s side have conceded zero and scored eight, and with Malen in this kind of form, they look a different proposition from recent Roma vintages. Lecce, with three points from their opener, now face a tougher path after this sobering defeat at Via del Mare.
AS Roma
Lecce
Donyell Malen
Rodrigo Mora