ROME (Reuters) - A
long-range strike by defender Gianluca Mancini earned AS Roma a 1-0 home win over Juventus in Serie A on Sunday, ending the visitors’ unbeaten run of seven games in all competitions.
Roma, who became the first Serie A side to be beaten by lowly Cremonese on Tuesday, have now won five home games in a row without conceding a goal.
They moved back into fourth in the standings on 47 points, one point behind third-placed Lazio and level with AC Milan in fifth, in their bid to secure a first top-four finish in five years.
Juventus had their first attempt on target in the fourth minute when forward Dusan Vlahovic latched on to Angel Di Maria’s lofted free kick but his first-time effort was saved by Roma keeper Rui Patricio.
Roma forward Paulo Dybala responded in the 27th with a long curling effort but Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny did well to parry it away.
With little action inside or around either of the boxes, Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli tried a brilliant long-range strike in the 42nd minute but failed to surprise Patricio, who made a save.
Two minutes later, Adrien Rabiot’s cheeky header was deflected by Patricio with his knee on to the post, maintaining the scoreline goalless at halftime.