Mancini Double Sends Roma Closer to Champions

Gianluca Mancini scored two headed goals on Sunday as Roma beat Lazio 2-0 in the Derby della Capitale and moved into the top four with one Serie A round remaining. The defender struck in the 40th and 66th minutes at the Stadio Olimpico, where Roma took advantage of Juventus’ 2-0 defeat at Fiorentina to climb into fourth place on 70 points, level with Milan and ahead of the final weekend. The match ended in a rush of cautions and dismissals, with Wesley and Lazio midfielder Nicolò Rovella sent off after a second-half confrontation. Roma’s win kept control of its Champions League push in its own hands heading into the last day. ### How did Mancini decide a derby usually shaped by forwards? Gianluca Mancini scored both goals from set pieces, turning a tense match with his timing in the air. His first came in the 40th minute, when he rose above Mario Gila and Matteo Cancellieri to head in Niccolò Pisilli’s corner for 1-0. His second arrived in the 66th, when he met Paulo Dybala’s corner with another header that beat Christos Mandas replacement Davide Furlanetto. (sport.sky.it) Sky Sport said both goals came from corners, one in each half, and noted that 15 of Mancini’s 21 Serie A goals have come with his head. Roma’s threat from dead balls was central again on Sunday, with Lazio struggling to contain deliveries into the box. ### Why was Lazio using Furlanetto in goal? (sport.sky.it) Davide Furlanetto started for Lazio because Ivan Provedel’s replacement Motta was unavailable through injury, according to Italian match reports. The goalkeeper was making his senior league debut in a derby and kept Lazio in the game early with stops from Donyell Malen and later from Dybala. (sport.sky.it) Lazio still created chances before falling behind. Boulaye Dia had an effort ruled out for offside, Gila threatened from a corner, and Tijjani Noslin went close on the break before Mancini’s opener shifted the game. ### What changed the match after halftime? Roma increased its control after the break and nearly scored again before Mancini’s second goal. (gazzetta.it) Dybala remained central to the pressure, first combining with Malen and then supplying the corner for the second header. Gian Piero Gasperini also adjusted after Evan Ndicka went off injured in the 35th minute, with Devyne Rensch coming on and Mancini taking a more central organizing role in defense. (sport.sky.it) The game then turned more volatile. Flashscore’s match log recorded red cards in the 70th minute for Wesley and Rovella after an on-field clash, while Sky’s live report described the incident as an attempted scuffle in the closing stages. Matteo Cancellieri had already been booked in the first half and Nuno Tavares was also cautioned, adding to a derby that stayed heated throughout. (sport.sky.it) ### What does the result do to the Champions League race? Roma finished Sunday in fourth place on 70 points after Juventus lost 2-0 at Fiorentina, while Napoli secured a Champions League place and the race for the remaining spots went to the final round. ESPN’s standings listed Roma fifth before the derby, and post-match reports from Sky and Gazzetta said the result lifted Roma into fourth. (sport.sky.it) Associated Press reported before or during the late stages of Sunday’s action that four teams were still in contention for the remaining Champions League places in Serie A. Roma’s derby win left the club one match from confirming its finish, with the final standings still dependent on results elsewhere. (espn.com) ### Why did this derby carry extra weight for Roma? Roma entered the match after a strong late-season run and with direct pressure from the table. Sky’s live page described the derby as decisive for fourth place because of Juventus’ simultaneous loss, and Gazzetta said Roma reached 70 points with one round to play. The stakes were visible in the team selection, with Dybala starting behind Malen and Pisilli despite fitness questions around several players. (apnews.com) Paulo Dybala also drew chants when he was substituted late, with Sky reporting that Artem Dovbyk returned and hit the post after replacing him. The final minutes were played in a charged atmosphere, but Roma closed out the result without conceding. ### What comes next in the final round? Roma’s last league match is against Pisa, while Lazio closes the season against Lecce, according to Sunday match coverage. (sport.sky.it) Flashscore also showed that Alexis Saelemaekers was not part of this derby and that several players, including Rovella, Wesley, Taylor and Tavares, picked up disciplinary issues that could affect availability for the final weekend.