Roma went into the interval 2-0 ahead of Sassuolo in Saturday's Serie A fixture at the Stadio Olimpico, scoring twice inside three minutes after a first half in which the visitors had held out for nearly half an hour. Mario Hermoso broke the deadlock in the 27th minute and Sebastian Walukiewicz turned a Donyell Malen shot into his own net on 30 minutes, according to Sky Sport's live coverage.
The match, refereed by Di Bello, was preceded by a minute's silence in memory of Tenerife player Jesus de Miguel Alameda, whose death Sky Sport said has shaken the football world. Cristante and Matic took part in the captains' coin toss before kick-off.
Why it matters
The result matters most to Gian Piero Gasperini's side, who were seeking a response after a Champions League defeat. Sky Sport framed the evening as a chance for redemption, and the timing of both goals — arriving in a burst just before the break — gave Roma the cushion their first-half pressure had been building toward. For Sassuolo and coach Alberto Aquilani, the task became considerably harder: a defence that had resisted well for close to 30 minutes conceded twice in quick succession and had to chase the game after the restart.
How the first half unfolded
Sassuolo had the first attempt of the night. In the third minute Matic struck a left-footed diagonal from the edge of the area that forced Vasquez into a save low to his right, Sky Sport reported.
Roma's first clear opening came on 12 minutes. Mora crossed from the left and Sassuolo goalkeeper Muric misjudged his advance, ending up stranded midway out of his goal as the ball sailed beyond him. Balerdi met it with a header at the far post, but Caleta-Car cleared off the line.
Mora was involved again five minutes later, turning sharply on a loose ball at the edge of the box and curling an effort just wide, with Walukiewicz getting a slight touch on it. On 35 minutes Balerdi broke into the area and got in front of Muric for a left-footed strike that looked likely to score, only for the goalkeeper to go down quickly and turn it behind for a corner.
The breakthrough arrived on 27 minutes. Hermoso carried the ball forward from defence, exchanged passes in tight space with Malen, and when the ball returned to him he drove a powerful left-footed shot under the crossbar. Sky Sport described it as a finish worthy of a forward.
Three minutes later the lead doubled. Malen worked space at the edge of the area with a feint and hit a right-footed diagonal that took two deflections — first off Idzes, then decisively off Walukiewicz, who diverted it into his own goal.
Sassuolo's best chance to respond came on 42 minutes. Balerdi mistimed his challenge on Idzes at the edge of the area, and the Sassuolo defender came away with the ball after a ricochet before shooting diagonally, but he made poor contact and put it wide. Sky Sport noted his visible frustration, as he had been in a strong position to shoot.
There was also a brief flashpoint on 39 minutes when Esposito pushed Hermoso from behind and the Spaniard responded with a shove of his own. Di Bello took no action and the two players shook hands.
Changes at the break and a missed chance for 3-0
Aquilani made two substitutions at half-time, bringing on Bowie and van der Brempt for Matic and Cinquegrano, and switched Sassuolo to a 4-2-3-1 with Esposito playing behind Bowie as the lone striker, according to Sky Sport.
Roma almost added a third early in the second half. On 48 minutes Soulé went one-on-one with Muric, rounded him and moved wide to the right. Rather than shooting into an empty goal from a tight but not impossible angle, he attempted a pass across the face of goal to Malen, who was a metre out. The Dutchman could not convert, got tangled, and was eventually closed down by Sassuolo defenders who had recovered.
Pre-match context
Speaking to Sky before kick-off, Roma sporting director Tony D'Amico said the squad still lacks a wide player with pace and the ability to run in behind, a gap the club had identified at the end of the transfer window, and that they would try to address it in January. He said the club talks and compares notes with national teams regarding Koné, and that the coach views him positively.
On the Champions League comeback Roma conceded, D'Amico said the atmosphere in Manchester was familiar and that the home side pushed hard after getting back into the game. He said Roma produced strong performances against Real and United and impose their game, acknowledging that difficult moments come against such opponents, and described the two defeats as different — calling the penalty for United very generous and saying it made the comeback easier. He added that such experiences are important for understanding what the team must add to improve.
Aquilani, facing Roma as a coach for the first time, told Sky about half an hour before kick-off that the stadium means something important to him and that he had dreamed of it throughout his adolescence, though his role required him to set that aside.
Ndicka said the team would do everything to get back on track and hoped they would no longer make the errors seen in Champions League matches. Matic said the league position is difficult but the squad is strong and can do well in future, adding that the players themselves must do more when results are not going their way.
Roma's official channels reported that more than 62,000 Roma supporters were at the Olimpico.
What to watch
Whether Roma turn their first-half dominance into a larger margin, and whether Aquilani's half-time reshuffle gives Sassuolo a route back into the game.
