Romelu Lukaku’s stoppage-time goal on Sunday gave Roma a thrilling 2-1 victory against Lecce, capping an incredible late comeback.
Romelu Lukaku secured a sensational 2-1 triumph for Roma against Lecce on Sunday, capping a remarkable late comeback and setting the stage for the eagerly anticipated Rome derby next weekend. Initially, it appeared that Jose Mourinho’s Roma was headed for an unexpected loss at the Stadio Olimpico, following Pontus Almqvist’s 71st-minute opener for Lecce. Nevertheless, Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun netted an equalizer with a powerful header in the 91st minute, marking his first Serie A goal. Just three minutes later, Lukaku unleashed a blistering shot to the delight of the fans.
“It was an incredible match that could have swung either way, but fate favored us,” Mourinho told DAZN.
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Lukaku’s winning goal served as redemption, considering he would have faced criticism for missing a penalty in the sixth minute and another golden opportunity eight minutes into the second half. The Belgian striker received cheers from the crowd after sealing the late victory, pushing Roma above Lazio in the standings.
Roma is currently in eighth place with 17 points, just four points behind the Champions League positions and one point ahead of Lazio, which suffered a loss to Bologna on Friday.
Mourinho was also pleased with the return of Paulo Dybala, who set up Lukaku’s ninth goal for Roma in all competitions since joining the club on loan from Chelsea in late August. Dybala came close to scoring twice during the game but narrowly missed with two magnificent strikes.
“Paulo is clearly crucial for us,” Mourinho remarked.
Lecce currently occupies the 11th spot in the standings after losing four and drawing two of their last six league matches.
Roma and Fiorentina are level on points, and Fiorentina hosted Juventus in the late Sunday match. Fiorentina’s dedicated fans had demanded the game be postponed due to the extensive damage caused by Storm Ciaran in Tuscany. Heavy rains, floods, and fallen trees wreaked havoc across the region, leading to an official state of emergency declaration. As a sign of protest, Fiorentina’s hardcore supporters decided not to attend the game, which is traditionally the most significant fixture of the season.
Second-placed Juventus aimed to narrow the gap with Serie A leaders Inter Milan to just two points with a victory in Florence.
Meanwhile, Cagliari moved out of the relegation zone with their second consecutive win, defeating fellow promoted side Genoa 2-1. Coach Claudio Ranieri played a pivotal role as two second-half substitutes, Nicolas Viola and Gabriele Zappa, scored the goals that secured the three points for Cagliari. Cagliari is currently one point ahead of Verona, which sits just inside the relegation zone after a 3-1 home defeat to Monza.
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