Cristante set Roma in motion inside 10 minutes, and Gian Piero Gasperini’s side never looked back, putting four past Udinese before the break and cruising to a 5-2 win in Udine. Soulé was the engine behind the blitz, picking up two assists across a frantic 27-minute stretch in the first half. By the time the visitors headed to the dressing room 4-0 up, the points were already settled.
Key Moments
- 10′, Cristante opened the scoring, finishing a move started by Wesley who provided the assist. Roma had the lead inside a quarter-hour and never surrendered it.
- 31′, Rodrigo Mora doubled Roma’s advantage, converting a pass from Cristante to make it 2-0.
- 33′, Malen made it three in the 33rd minute, collecting a second assist from Soulé to pile the pressure on a reeling Udinese backline.
- 37′, Ndicka, a defender, got in on the act to make it 4-0, again set up by Soulé, capping a devastating first-half display from Roma.
- 50′, Zaniolo pulled one back for Udinese five minutes into the second half, giving the home side a foothold in the game.
- 78′, Palma reduced the deficit to 4-2 with a Defender’s goal, assisted by Kamara, briefly generating some noise inside the Bluenergy Stadium.
- 90′, Ghilardi settled any nerves with Roma’s fifth, set up by substitute Castro, finishing the game at 5-2.
Tactical Breakdown
Roma set up in a 3-4-2-1 mirroring Udinese’s own shape but found far more success in the attacking third. The visitors generated an xG of 2.90 against Udinese’s 1.89, and were more efficient on shots on goal, registering nine to Udinese’s seven. With 54 percent of possession and 532 total passes completed at a higher accuracy rate than the hosts, Gasperini’s side controlled the tempo even as Udinese tried to press higher after halftime.
The decisive period came between the 31st and 37th minutes, when Soulé found Malen and then Ndicka in quick succession to make it 4-0. Rodrigo Mora and Malen were both withdrawn at the hour mark, allowing Castro and Pisilli to come on once the game was already won. The double substitution at 59 minutes effectively signaled Roma were happy to manage the result rather than push for more.
Udinese’s back three was completely overwhelmed in the opening 37 minutes and never recovered the defensive discipline to threaten a genuine fightback. The double substitution at the 56th minute, replacing Davis and Ekkelenkamp, came too late to change the shape of the contest. Karlstrom was pulled off at 82 minutes having struggled to screen a defense already three goals down from the first half.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
The win keeps Roma third in Serie A on 24 points, one behind co-leaders Inter and Lazio who both have 25. Udinese, meanwhile, sit 19th on just 5 points after 10 games, with their defensive record of 23 goals conceded already pointing to a difficult winter. For Gasperini’s side, the margin of victory is as much a statement of intent as the three points.
AS Roma
Udinese
M. Soulé