Roma got back on track beating Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa 2-0 thanks to the first goals for the club from Santiago Castro and Emanuele Lulli.
The Giallorossi drew their last two Serie A games and fumbled a 3-1 lead in the final minutes for a 4-3 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday night. Donyell Malen was suspended after his red card against Como, with Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné, Mile Svilar and Bryan Cristante injured, so there were seven changes from Europe.
It was an emotional return to the Stadio Olimpico for ex-Roma stars Daniele De Rossi and Stephan El Shaarawy, fresh from Genoa’s first Serie A victory of the season against Fiorentina. Lorenzo Colombo, Alex Amorim, Djibril Sow, Franz-Ethan Meichtry and Lorenzo Venturino were carrying knocks, but Italy Under-19 international Samuel Wiafe got his first Serie A start.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
El Shaarawy almost made an immediate impact, Pierluigi Gollini parrying with his legs at the near post after nine minutes, while Matias Soulé swept far too centrally first-time from the edge of the area.
Roma came so close on the half-hour mark, as Leonardo Balerdi nodded a Niccolò Pisilli corner kick onto the crossbar. Moments later, Rodrigo Mora’s header was well parried off the line by Justin Bijlow, with Santiago Castro offside on the rebound.
Moments later, Genoa also rattled the woodwork with El Shaarawy’s first-time strike bouncing off the bar from the edge of the area after a decisive block on Milutin Osmajic.
Roma did take the lead in bizarre fashion after the restart, as the corner was knocked down in a crowd at the near post, Castro managed to turn and dink it into the far top corner from seven yards with an odd, looping finish. It was a great bit of improvisation from the former Bologna striker, who netted his first goal for the club.
The second goal was another moment of individual brilliance, as Matias Soulé started the run from inside his own half, riding two tackles, completing a give and go with Lorenzo Pellegrini, then his shot was deflected off a Genoa player into the path of Emanuele Lulli at the back post. It was the first Serie A goal for the 19-year-old youth academy product.
Osmajic stung Gollini’s gloves with a powerful strike and Genoa gave the Serie A debut to Robinho Junior, the son of former Milan and Brazil striker Robinho.
Roma 2-0 Genoa
Castro 50 (R), Lulli 68 (R)
Player statistic
| Matìas Soulé | 43' |
| Santiago Castro | 50' | |||
| 51' | Johan Vásquez | |||
| 65' | Leo Östigard | |||
| Emanuele Lulli |  |
68' | ||
| Niccolò Pisilli | 76' | |||
| 81' |  |
Mikael Egill Ellertsson |
