Serie A: Roma Make it Six in a Row with Narrow Victory over Cagliari

AS Roma extended their winning streak in Serie A to six matches with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, thanks to Artem Dovbyk's second-half winner.

AS Roma continued their impressive run in Serie A with a narrow 1-0 victory over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, marking their sixth consecutive win in the league. This triumph also extended Roma's unbeaten streak in home meetings to 10 matches, with an impressive eight clean sheets included in that stretch.

Roma's slow start to the match suggested they were still recovering from their disappointing defeat in Spain on Thursday, which ended their UEFA Europa League campaign. Despite dominating possession, Roma's first real threat came from Artem Dovbyk's long-range strike, which sailed over the bar. The team's sluggish performance was evident, with Gianluca Mancini's volleyed corner kick being their closest attempt, narrowly missing the target.

Cagliari's vulnerability on set pieces was well-documented, having conceded a league-high 16 goals from such situations heading into the weekend. However, Roma were unable to capitalize on this weakness in the first half. In fact, the home team struggled to create meaningful scoring opportunities, with Dovbyk's glancing header being their closest attempt, drifting just past the post.

As the first half drew to a close, Cagliari sensed an opportunity to catch Roma off guard. They launched a swift counterattack, finding Nadir Zortea in space on the right flank. However, Zortea's ensuing strike epitomized the lack of attacking quality on display, sailing high and wide of the target.

Another win for Roma! 👏🟡🔴#RomaCagliari #KeepRacismOUT pic.twitter.com/UpdzRUrvym

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 16, 2025

Cagliari maintained their momentum from the first half, carrying it into the second period. They had a golden opportunity to take the lead shortly after the restart when Nadir Zortea's cross found Roberto Piccoli, but his close-range shot was expertly saved by Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar.

That missed chance proved costly for Cagliari, as Roma capitalized on the visitors' poor defending to take the lead just after the hour mark. A corner kick was not cleared effectively, and instead of being headed away, the ball struck Nicolas Viola on the back, presenting Artem Dovbyk with a prime scoring opportunity on the six-yard line. Dovbyk seized the chance, scoring his 10th league goal of the season.

Roma's lead was nearly short-lived, but Svilar came to their rescue once again, making an impressive save to deny Yerry Mina's header. As Roma attempted to extend their lead, their efforts were hindered when Paulo Dybala, who had just come on as a substitute, suffered an injury and was forced to limp off the pitch after just 14 minutes.

Despite this setback, Roma managed to hold on for the win, thanks in part to Cagliari's lack of attacking threat. The victory propelled Roma into seventh place in the league standings, leapfrogging AC Milan and leaving them just four points shy of the top four. In contrast, Cagliari's struggles continued, with the team having won just once in their last eight league outings and now sitting only four points clear of the relegation zone.