Roma emerged victorious in the capital derby, defeating Lazio 2-0. Despite being 15 points behind their rivals in the standings, Claudio Ranieri’s team defied expectations with a composed and determined performance. The Giallorossi secured the win with two first-half goals, courtesy of Pellegrini and Saelemaekers.
The match started with Roma taking control early. In the 10th minute, Pellegrini found the back of the net with a powerful right-footed shot from the edge of the box after Dovbyk won a crucial duel against Romagnoli. It was Pellegrini’s first league goal this season and his third start under Ranieri. Just eight minutes later, Saelemaekers doubled the lead, slotting home after Provedel failed to hold Dybala’s strike.
Lazio struggled to find their rhythm and created few chances in the first half, with a deflected shot from Dele-Bashiru that was tipped out for a corner. In the second half, manager Baroni made attacking changes, introducing Dia and Tchaouna. Guendouzi attempted a long-range effort, but Svilar made a solid save and later denied Castellanos with a reflex stop.
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Tensions boiled over in the final minutes when a collision between Castellanos and Hummels sparked a bench-clearing scuffle. Referee Pairetto handed out two red cards—one to Castellanos and another to Ranieri’s assistant Sertori—along with a yellow for Ndicka. Once the chaos subsided, Roma closed out the game without further incident and celebrated with their fans in the Curva Sud.
Ranieri, undefeated in derby matches as Roma’s coach, was hailed as a hero by the supporters. Lazio, despite their strong position in the league, continues to struggle against top-tier opponents, while Roma’s victory could mark a turning point in their season.
