AS Roma secures comfortable 3-0 victory over Cremonese, propelled by Bryan Cristante's inspiring performance.
AS Roma delivered a commanding performance at the Stadio Olimpico, securing a comfortable 3-0 Serie A victory over a toothless Cremonese side. Bryan Cristante was instrumental, opening the scoring and assisting another, as the Giallorossi extended their impressive home form.
Coming into this clash, Roma sat fourth in Serie A, aiming to consolidate their Champions League spot with 50 points. Cremonese, meanwhile, languished in 16th with 24 points, desperately seeking points to pull away from the relegation zone. Roma's recent form showed resilience, contrasted with Cremonese's struggles.
The opening exchanges saw Roma assert dominance in possession, dictating the tempo from the outset. Cremonese struggled to gain any foothold, often resorting to quick counter-attacks that rarely threatened. Their defensive posture was evident from the start.
Despite their territorial control, the home side found clear-cut chances hard to come by in the first half. Cremonese midfielder Morten Thorsby received the game's first booking in the 24th minute for a challenge, highlighting the away side's commitment to disrupting play.
Roma registered 12 shots off target and had 6 blocked attempts in the first half, underscoring their inability to break the deadlock. The visitors' goalkeeper, Emil Audero, made two crucial saves, ensuring the score remained goalless at the break.
The teams went into the interval goalless, with Roma needing to find a more incisive edge in the final third. Cremonese, meanwhile, would have been content with holding strong against the early pressure, hoping to frustrate their opponents.
Roma’s persistence finally paid off in the 59th minute. Bryan Cristante guided home a crucial opening goal, connecting with an assist from Lorenzo Pellegrini. This breakthrough goal sent the Stadio Olimpico into raptures and decisively shifted the momentum.
Midfielder Neil El Aynaoui picked up a yellow card for Roma in the 66th minute for a tripping foul. Later, defender Evan Ndicka doubled Roma's lead in the 77th minute, rising highest to powerfully head home an assist from Bryan Cristante. Cristante was proving to be the architect.
The Giallorossi sealed their victory with a third goal in the 86th minute. Substitute Niccolò Pisilli found the net just moments after coming on. This late strike added gloss to an already convincing performance, showcasing Roma's attacking depth.
Roma's dominance was reflected in the statistics: 58% possession, 23 total shots (5 on target), and an expected goals (xG) figure of 2.0. Cremonese managed a mere two shots, neither on target, and a low xG of 0.07, highlighting their struggles to create.
This decisive victory propels AS Roma further up the Serie A table, cementing their fourth-place position with 50 points. For Cremonese, the defeat extends their poor run of form, keeping them precariously close to the relegation zone.
Roma will look to build on this momentum in their next fixture as they continue their push for European qualification. Cremonese must regroup quickly, facing a tough battle to climb out of the bottom half of the league standings in the coming weeks.
