With Roma sweating on their top-four status, a home game against mid-table Udinese had all the hallmarks of a ‘must win’ clash.
The first half-hour was rather uneventful, with both sides almost feeling each other out from a distance, but Roma did eventually grow into the game and perhaps earned the slice of luck they were handed when Roberto Pereyra handled in the box.
Roma had VAR to thank for the awarding of the penalty, and they needed yet more luck to get the ball in the back of the net, with Edoardo Bove quickest to react after Bryan Cristante’s penalty cannoned back off the post.
That goal breathed new life into the Giallorossi who came close to doubling their advantage before the break through Lorenzo Pellegrini, but his free-kick was beaten away by Marco Silvestri.
The duo were again embroiled in battle moments after the break too, but this time it was Pellegrini who came out on top, latching onto Andrea Belotti’s deft ball to lift a delicate effort beyond the onrushing Silvestri.
At 2-0 Roma were cruising, but when Gianluca Mancini blocked Sandi Lovric’s strike with his hand, Udinese were handed a golden chance from the penalty spot to snatch a lifeline.
It wasn’t proving to be a great night for Pereyra however, who after giving away Roma’s penalty, saw his own spot-kick saved by Rui Patricio.
Despite boss Andrea Sottil visibly trying to rally his troops from the touchline, you could see how the penalty miss sucked the confidence out of Udinese.
It proved to be too much of a psychological hurdle to overcome for Udinese too, who failed to lay another glove on Roma, leaving the hosts with a free run at the three points as they added the icing on the cake in stoppage time when Tammy Abraham added a third.
Victory extended Roma’s cushion within the top-four to five points, leaving them sitting much more comfortably amidst Juventus’ ongoing appeal against their points deduction.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Edoardo Bove (Roma)
