Dybala Ends Goal Drought as Roma Rise to Second in Serie A

Paulo Dybala finally found the back of the net, scoring his first Serie A goal of the season as Roma edged Sassuolo 1-0 on Sunday to move level on points with Napoli at the top of the table. The Argentinian forward reacted quickest after Sassuolo goalkeeper Arijanet Muric blocked Bryan Cristante’s shot in the 16th minute, tapping in the rebound for his 130th Serie A goal, and his first from open play since December.

“These are three important points,” Dybala said after the match. “We knew we could move into first place before this match, but we’re not getting carried away. The championship is still very long.”

Under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who took over in July, Roma have built a strong defensive foundation but continue to struggle in attack. They have conceded only three goals in eight league matches, the best defensive record in the league, but have scored just eight. Despite their challenges in front of goal, the win keeps Roma tied with reigning champions Napoli, who beat Inter Milan 3-1 on Saturday to stay ahead on goal difference.

Can Roma maintain their momentum after a shaky home run?

Roma’s biggest challenge remains their inconsistency at home. All four of their defeats this season have come on their own turf, including a 2-1 Europa League loss to Viktoria Plzen and a 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan in Serie A. Gasperini acknowledged the issue, saying, “I’m very satisfied because the team reacted well after two defeats this week. The priority now is to win again at hme. We have to reward our fans. At home, we have to be more effective.”

How did the rest of Serie A fare this weekend?

AC Milan slipped to third after a 2-2 draw against Pisa at San Siro, while Juventus’ struggles deepened as Lazio handed them a 1-0 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico. Juve coach Igor Tudor admitted, “We are of course disappointed, we feel terrible, but there is always something missing in our matches. We are all responsible for this situation,” though he insisted he is “not worried about his future.”

Elsewhere, Fiorentina’s tough start continued with a 2-2 home draw against Bologna, leaving them 18th with only four points from eight games. Torino continued their strong form, following last week’s win over Napoli with a 2-1 victory against Genoa.

With the season still young, Roma’s victory signals a renewed push for their first Scudetto since 2001, a challenge that will demand both consistency and sharper finishing in the weeks ahead.

By Yockshard Enyendi