Serie A: Roma Beat Lazio in Heated Derby to Close on Champions League Spot
Red cards for both sides couldn’t stop Roma from securing a derby win that puts them on the brink of Champions League qualification.
Gianluca Mancini scored twice as Roma beat Lazio 2-0 in the Rome derby to move fourth in Serie A with one game left...
Roma edged closer to a Champions League spot after beating Lazio 2-0 at home in the derby. The result puts them fourth in Serie A with one game left, while Lazio’s winless streak against their city rivals now stands at five matches.
It was a rough start for Lazio goalkeeper Alessio Furlanetto in his first Derby della Capitale. Just nine minutes in, he had to scramble to stop an own goal after Nuno Tavares redirected Niccolo Pisilli’s free kick toward his own net.
A string of Roma corners followed, and Furlanetto ended it by holding onto a deflected shot from Wesley Franca. Once the danger passed, Lazio built a smooth attack around the 20th minute, but Mile Svilar got down to stop Matteo Cancellieri’s low curling effort.
Boulaye Dia thought he’d scored for Lazio in the 29th minute after three attempts in the box, but the offside flag went up immediately and it was a straightforward call.
Lazio kept pressing. Dia played Tijjani Noslin through, and Noslin curled a shot just wide of the far post. Roma then struck first from a set piece.
Five minutes before half-time, Pisilli swung in a corner and Gianluca Mancini met it with a firm header that left Furlanetto with no chance.
Two goals from Mancini gives @ASRomaEN the three points in the Derby della Capitale! ➕3⃣#RomaLazio pic.twitter.com/s66AKwirgo
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) May 17, 2026
With European qualification out of reach, Lazio came out firing in the second half for local bragging rights. Noslin and Cancellieri both went close again with efforts similar to their chances before the break.
Roma didn’t threaten to double the lead until after the hour mark. Donyell Malen produced a spectacular volley that Furlanetto managed to bat down, and soon after the goalkeeper tipped a Paulo Dybala free kick over the bar.
Dybala took the corner that followed, and the outcome was the same despite a different taker. Mancini rose highest once more and headed another goal past Furlanetto to put Roma 2-0 up.
With just over 20 minutes left, things boiled over after Mancini and Daniel Maldini clashed, sparking several scuffles on the pitch.
Once play settled, referee Fabio Maresca sent off both Franca and Nicolo Rovella, leaving each side down to 10 men.
Gianluca Mancini's fine performance means that he is the Panini Player of the Match Award for #RomaLazio 👏 pic.twitter.com/AqBIUz00Ef
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) May 17, 2026
Artem Dovbyk hit the post seconds after coming on, and that was the closest either side came late on. Roma saw out the 2-0 win comfortably. The result means Gian Piero Gasperini is only the second Roma manager in 50 years to win his first two derbies. For Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio, it marked just the second time all season they’ve lost consecutive league matches.
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