The Roma beat 1-0 the Verona in the 23rd day of Serie A maintaining the third place in the standings equal to Milan. With a very intense first half, the team of Mourinho – without Dybala, Pellegrini and with Abraham injured in the 15th minute – he found the three-point net in the 45th minute with the winning diagonal from Solbakken released in the area by Spinazzola with a back-heel. In the second half the Roma he managed the advantage without conceding big chances to Verona which ended the positive streak of four games.
THE MATCH
The Roma wins again, does it narrowly against the Verona and without conceding a goal at the Olimpico. The good news in addition to the 1-0 however for Mourinho is that even the players considered “second lines” have responded present with a performance of intensity and management that is not obvious. After the struggles in the cup, the Giallorossi played a very high pace in the first half, crushing Verona in their own half, unlocking the match just before the break and managing in the second half despite without three fundamental players such as Dybala, Pellegrini and Abrahamwho went out injured after a quarter of an hour.
The cover man is Ola Solbakkenthe Norwegian full-back who a few weeks ago seemed in the crosshairs of Mourinho and which instead characterized the first appearance as owner with the first goal in Serie A. Three-point goal, to complete the party. In the first forty-five minutes played all the protagonists were many, but above all those of the left chain. Spinazzola, net of the brilliant assist that sent Solbakken on goal with a backheel in the 45th minute, he was the most dangerous player even with first-person shots. On that side, El Shaarawy also confirmed his good form by committing Montipò without ever surprising him and behind him Ibanez it did not give Ngonge breathing room or space.
The score after returning from the interval has changed, the rhythm has collapsed and we have seen the cruise mode of the Roma which, by lowering the center of gravity by several meters, has decided not to allow space for the Verona giving up something up front. Only two notable attempts at the end for Verona, both within two minutes: first with a shot of Doig deflected for a corner on the only occasion in which the Giallorossi were caught behind them, then with a free-kick from Duda that Rui Patricio handled. In the end, however, Montiport it was miraculous on Belotti’s close-range header.
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REPORT CARDS
Solbakken 7 – Find the first goal with the Roma shirt and it’s a great goal for movement, technique and athletic gesture. The diagonal closes the circle with the Giallorossi fans and, in his first as a starter in Serie A, he plays a good hour.
Spinazzola 7 – The heel assist is a pearl to see, see and see again. In the high-paced first half of Roma he is among the most constant protagonists also due to his presence in the Verona area. In the second half he manages and manages himself.
Kardsorp 6 – Good first of his return. After months of absence, the Dutchman took up the right flank keeping Doig and Lazovic at bay.
Doig 5,5 – Mourinho lets him take the ball in his own half without problems, but closes the field behind him. Only once is he in the open field and goes shooting, for the rest he never found the courage to go beyond his homework.
Fatigue 5,5 – He never found space between the lines and it was seen more for some effective withdrawals than for the offensive danger.
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THE TABLE
ROME-VERONA 1-0
Roma (3-4-2-1): Rui Patrick 6; Mancini 6.5, Smalling 6, Ibanez 6.5; Karsdorp 6 (25′ st Celik 6), Cristante 6.5, Bove 6, Spinazzola 7; Sunbakken 7 (25′ st Zalewski 6), El Shaarawy 6.5 (41′ st Wijnaldum sv); Abraham sv (15′ Belotti 6). Disp.: Boer, Svilar, Llorente, Kumbulla, Pellegrini, Matic, Camara, Volpato, Tahirovic, Majchrzak. All.: Mourinho
Verona (3-4-2-1): Mount 6.5; Magnani 6.5, Hien 5.5 (1st Coppola 6), Dawidowicz 5.5; Depaoli 5.5, Tameze 5.5, Duda 5.5, Doig 5.5 (39′ st Abilgaard sv); Ngonge 5.5 (31′ st Kallon 5.5), Lazovic 5 (14′ st Braff 5.5); Gaich 5 (14′ st Lasagne 5). A disp.: Berardi, Perilli, Zeefuik, Pharaoni, Ceccherini, Cabal, Terracciano, Verdi. All.: Saffron 5.5.
Referee: Sozza
Scorers: 45′ Solbakken
Ammonite yourself: Smalling (R); Hien, Ngonge (V)
Expelled: Nobody
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OPTA STATISTICS
Roma have won four home games in a row without conceding a goal in Serie A for the first time since November 2014 (six in that case).
Ola Solbakken is the third Norwegian to score for Roma in Serie A (John Arne Riise and John Carew the other two), and the first since John Arne Riise scored in March 2010.
In 2023 Roma, together with Juventus and Napoli, is the team that has obtained the most clean sheets in Serie A (five).
Before Ola Solbakken, the last Roma player to score on his first starting appearance for Roma in Serie A was Sérgio Oliveira on 16 January 2022 (goal against Cagliari).
Leonardo Spinazzola returned to serve an assist in a Serie A home match 721 days after the last time (winning pass against Milan on 28 February 2021).
Verona have conceded 7 goals in the last 15 minutes of the first half of this Serie A, only Salernitana (12) have conceded more in the current tournament.
Ola Solbakken found his first Serie A goal with his first shot on target of the tournament.
Roma is the team that has sent the most Norwegian players to score in Serie A (three, Riise, Carew and Solbakken).
22 fouls were committed during the first half of the game, a record in the first half in this Serie A (22 also in Spezia-Smapdoria).
Adrien Tameze played his 100th match in Serie A.