Paulo Dybala created all three of Donyell Malen’s goals as AS Roma began their Serie A campaign in emphatic fashion with a 4-0 home victory over Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico.
The result extended Roma’s winning run in the league to six matches and maintained their impressive home form from the closing stages of last season. The Giallorossi had gone 12 league games unbeaten at the Stadio Olimpico before this meeting and quickly showed why they remain such a formidable side on their own ground.
Dybala tested David de Gea within the opening minutes with a low effort on target, although Fiorentina responded when Marco Brescianini broke clear and forced Mile Svilar into a comparable save.
Most of the early pressure, however, came from Roma, who repeatedly pushed Fiorentina back towards their own penalty area. De Gea had to produce a flying stop to keep out Rodrigo Mora’s curling right-footed attempt as the home side continued to threaten.
Roma’s pressure finally told after 27 minutes. Dybala carried the ball forward from the left and committed several Fiorentina defenders before laying it off to Malen. The Dutch forward turned sharply past Dodo and finished calmly to give Roma the lead.
The goal offered an uncomfortable reminder of Fiorentina’s poor start to last season, when they endured a 15-match winless run. Paolo Vanoli’s side were unable to find a response before half-time, with Roma remaining in control.
Malen doubled the advantage shortly after the restart. A long pass from Mario Hermoso found Dybala, who quickly switched play towards the forward. Malen moved the ball onto his left foot before striking powerfully into the roof of the net via the inside of De Gea’s near post.
The prospect of a hat-trick soon became a realistic one, and Malen completed it after linking up with Dybala once again. This time, Dybala reached the byline and sent the ball back across the face of goal, where Malen arrived to tap home his third.
Roma continued to defend with purpose as they pursued a clean sheet. Their success in that regard meant they recorded what was described as a league-high 12th home shutout, but they still had time to add another goal.
Matias Soule delivered the ball into the penalty area, where Nicolo Pisilli eventually brought it under control before prodding his finish beyond De Gea to complete the scoring.
The performance combined Roma’s defensive resilience with a lively attack and the unpredictable tactical approach of manager Gian Piero Gasperini. Those qualities will give supporters hope that the club could enjoy a highly significant season.
For Fiorentina, the early evidence suggests that replacing Vanoli with Fabio Grosso at the end of last season may prove to have been a major gamble. They were unable to match Roma’s intensity or contain Malen and Dybala, while their attack offered little to trouble a well-organised home defence.
Malen was named Flashscore Man of the Match after his decisive three-goal display.
