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Artem Dovbyk’s header was the difference as Roma secured a vital 1-0 win over Fiorentina in Serie A, extending their unbeaten run in home head-to-heads against La Viola to seven matches and moving four points clear of the visitors. With the teams separated by just one point ahead of kick off - and Bologna hosting Juventus later in the afternoon - this was to be a pivotal afternoon in deciding how Serie A’s European positions will look at the end of the season.
Those in Giallorossi shirts displayed plenty of energy early on, whether in the stands or on the pitch, but Fiorentina stood firm as Lorenzo Pellegrini saw one strike hit teammate Eldor Shomurodov and another sail off-target. La Viola then went on the front foot and had the game’s first big chance in the 27th minute, when Moise Kean masterfully turned away from Zeki Celik but was denied by the onrushing goalkeeper Mile Svilar, and the striker then got behind Gianluca Mancini before being stopped by Svilar again.
David de Gea was equally convincing when denying Celik and Shomurodov, but the Spaniard couldn’t keep the match level going into the break, as Shomurodov headed Angelino’s fizzed ball in across goal for Dovbyk to nod home the opener in the fifth minute of added time. De Gea was swiftly back in action after the restart, leaping across his line to hold Manu Kone’s strike from range.
Amir Richardson struck wide shortly after, while Nicolo Zaniolo and Fabiano Parisi both fired harmlessly over as La Viola applied pressure in search of an equaliser. Svilar then added to his catalogue of impressive saves by getting a foot to Rolando Mandragora’s venomous hit, before Niccolo Pisilli and Cher Ndour fired off target at either end.
Svilar denied Kean yet again late on, then bravely dived at his feet to collect the ball and ensure Roma earned all three points in their 19th consecutive Serie A match unbeaten to, at least temporarily, jump up into fourth place. Fiorentina remain eighth having lost back-to-back matches in the space of four days, although they have an opportunity to put the first of those right as they host Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday.
