Tribal Football

Dybala spot-kick earns Roma narrow win at sodden Venezia

Akhil Fisher, Flashscore
Paulo Dybala takes a shot against Venezia
Paulo Dybala takes a shot against VeneziaAction Plus
AS Roma extended their unbeaten streak in Serie A to eight league games with a comfortable 1-0 victory over Venezia at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, making it two straight away league wins in a row.

Both sides entered this clash on opposite trajectories – 19th-placed Venezia were winless in six, while the Giallorossi aimed to extend their seven-game unbeaten run in their pursuit of a top-six finish.

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 Roma piled on the pressure early, coming painfully close to breaking the deadlock around the half-hour mark.

Following a free kick, Gianluca Mancini’s close-range effort was cleared off the goal line by Hans Nicolussi Caviglia in the game’s first real chance, before Ionut Radu tipped Artem Dovbyk’s towering header away at the far post.

The Lagunari’s luck ran out 10 minutes into the second half, when Alessandro Marcandalli brought Angelino down in the area. Paulo Dybala made no mistake from the spot, sending his strike into the right corner to put Claudio Ranieri’s men in the driving seat.

With just one clean sheet at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, Venezia now faced an uphill battle to stage a comeback and ease their relegation woes.

However, Roma gave the hosts no room to manoeuvre, holding out their lead to claim all three points and cut the gap to sixth-placed Lazio to eight points.

Eusebio Di Francesco last saw his side win when they beat Cagliari 2-1, as they now remain winless in seven games on the trot. The Lagunari lie five points away from safety, sandwiched between Parma and Monza at the bottom of the Serie A table.

Meanwhile, the Giallorossi get back to winning ways following their Coppa Italia elimination at the hands of AC Milan.