Roma secured their first Champions League victory of the season with a commanding 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava, whose manager Yaya Toure saw his side struggle against the Italian visitors.
Goals from Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina, Niccolo Pisilli and Donyell Malen gave the Serie A side a convincing result and revived their European campaign as they compete in the tournament for the first time since 2019.
The victory was a welcome response to Roma’s dramatic defeat by Real Madrid last week, when they conceded three goals in the final seven minutes to lose 4-3. Having drawn their opening European fixture against Fenerbahce, Roma were under pressure to secure a win and delivered an assured performance against the Slovakian side.
Roma took the lead after 21 minutes when Hermoso headed home from close range. Lorenzo Pellegrini delivered a free-kick which Daniele Ghilardi nodded into the path of the defender, who finished almost on the goal-line to put the visitors ahead.
The goal rewarded Roma’s strong start and gave them control of a match in which they largely dictated the attacking play.
Slovan Bratislava, managed by former Manchester City midfielder Toure, struggled to contain their opponents as Roma continued to create opportunities. The visitors doubled their advantage six minutes before half-time through Molina.
The defender forced the ball over the line at the far post to register his first goal for the club. His effort followed a save by Slovan goalkeeper Dominik Takac, who pushed a shot from former Aston Villa forward Malen across the face of goal. Molina was well placed to capitalise and give Roma a two-goal cushion heading into the interval.
The hosts needed a strong response after the break, but Roma extended their lead just seven minutes into the second half.
Slovan’s hesitant defending allowed Matias Soule to win possession inside the penalty area. Malen then laid the ball back for Pisilli, who turned it into the net in the 52nd minute to make it 3-0.
The goal further strengthened Roma’s position and left Slovan with a difficult task as the visitors continued to exploit gaps in the home defence.
Malen added a fourth shortly before the hour mark, converting from the penalty spot after Cesar Blackman fouled Wesley Franca.
The penalty completed an emphatic evening for Roma, who had turned their early advantage into a comprehensive victory through contributions from four different goalscorers.
For the Italian side, the result represented an important recovery following their collapse against Real Madrid. After surrendering a promising position in the closing stages of that match, they showed greater control against Slovan Bratislava and took their opportunities to secure all three points.
Roma’s draw against Fenerbahce had left them still searching for their first European win of the campaign, but the four-goal display provided a significant boost as they seek to make an impact on their return to the Champions League.
The defeat, meanwhile, left Toure’s Slovan Bratislava at the bottom of the Champions League table, underlining the scale of the challenge facing the Slovakian side following their heavy loss at home.
