Serie A: Roma Run Riot with 5-0 Demolition of Parma

Roma's attacking firepower was on full display as they crushed Parma 5-0, with Dybala, Dovbyk, and Saelemaekers all contributing to the scoreline.

Roma are optimistic that they have finally found their rhythm after delivering a resounding 5-0 thrashing of Parma, highlighted by Paulo Dybala's brace and Alexis Saelemaekers' impressive volley. This convincing victory follows a mixed run of results, which included a disappointing 2-0 loss at Como and a morale-boosting 4-1 win over Sampdoria in the Coppa Italia midweek.

The Giallorossi received a defensive boost with the return of Mats Hummels and Gianluca Mancini, who helped shore up the backline. The only notable absentee for Roma was Bryan Cristante. In contrast, Parma were severely depleted due to injuries, missing a slew of key players including Nahuel Estevez, Adrian Bernabé, Mateusz Kowalski, Gabriel Charpentier, Alessandro Circati, Lautaro Valenti, and Yordan Osorio, which made their task against Roma even more daunting.

Lecce threatened early on, with Ange-Yoan Bonny bursting past the defense to receive Simon Sohm's through ball, but he drilled his effort wide just 130 seconds into the match. Artem Dovbyk then squandered a gilt-edged opportunity, firing off target from a mere seven yards out after being picked out by Angelino's pinpoint pull-back.

The deadlock was eventually broken when Paulo Dybala was tripped by Botond Balogh's outstretched leg, earning a penalty that the Argentine midfielder calmly converted. Lazio's second goal was a masterpiece of teamwork, as Angelino delivered a precise cross to the far post, where Alexis Saelemaekers unleashed a magnificent right-footed volley. However, Zion Suzuki's weakness on his near post was exposed, making the goal somewhat easier than it should have been.

Parma pushed hard to get back into the game, and Hernani nearly pulled off a stunning equalizer with a powerful long-range effort that forced Mile Svilar to make an acrobatic save, palming the ball onto the crossbar at the near top corner. The visitors continued to threaten, with Emanuele Valeri's thunderous strike also clipping the bar, while Simon Sohm squandered a golden opportunity, prodding wide from just five yards out after being set up by Pontus Almqvist. Zion Suzuki then made a crucial intervention, using his chest to parry an El Shaarawy finish at the near post.

Roma extended their lead after the restart, courtesy of a slice of good fortune. Alexis Saelemaekers' shot took a deflection off Artem Dovbyk, and Paulo Dybala was on hand to tap in the rebound at the far post. A VAR review confirmed that all the Roma players involved had managed to stay onside, allowing the goal to stand and giving Roma a commanding 3-0 lead.

Paulo Dybala was denied a potential hat-trick when he slipped and fell while attempting to control the ball, a moment of misfortune that prevented him from adding to his tally. Meanwhile, Drissa Camara's ambitious long-range effort bounced off the top of the crossbar, a near-miss that highlighted Parma's continued efforts to get back into the game.

Roma continued to capitalize on Parma's mistakes, earning another penalty when Valentin Mihaila was adjudged to have fouled Alexis Saelemaekers. This time, Leandro Paredes stepped up to convert the spot-kick, further extending Roma's lead. Artem Dovbyk finally got on the scoresheet, tapping in from close range after a delightful assist from Dybala. In a surprising display of sportsmanship, Dybala eschewed the opportunity to complete his hat-trick, instead allowing Dovbyk to score after being tackled by Hernani.

Despite having numerous chances to score, Roma's clean sheet was ultimately preserved by Mile Svilar's impressive low one-handed save on Dennis Man. Notably, Claudio Ranieri opted not to make any substitutions throughout the match, a decision that ultimately paid off as Roma ran out comfortable winners.