Skip to content

Homegrown hero Pisilli helps Roma beat Venezia but team's troubles far from over

MILAN (AP) — Roma’s troubles are far from over despite new coach Ivan Jurić making it two wins in two league matches in charge of the Giallorossi.
728e30003e3df8d0ef73545b487bf391bc1a45e939239995cdc92a93e3e9e8bc
Roma's Niccolo Pisilli reacts after he scored during the Serie A soccer match between Roma and Venezia, in Rome, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

MILAN (AP) — Roma’s troubles are far from over despite new coach Ivan Jurić making it two wins in two league matches in charge of the Giallorossi.

Homegrown midfielder Niccolò Pisilli — who grew up supporting Roma and progressed through its youth team — netted his first Serie A goal to help Roma fight back to beat promoted Venezia 2-1 on Sunday.

Venezia had been leading at halftime, prompting huge jeers from Roma fans.

Napoli will be looking to continue its impressive streak when it hosts winless Monza later.

Roma had finally got its first win of the season last Sunday, just days after Jurić replaced the fired Daniele De Rossi. There were protests by the fans during that match against Udinese and enthusiasm was further dampened by a 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League midweek.

Venezia took the lead in Rome on the stroke of halftime. Gianluca Busio curled an effort off the far right post but Joel Pohjanpalo was the quickest to react on the rebound to fire into the bottom left corner.

There was still time before the break for Venezia to almost get another as Roma defender Gianluca Mancini cleared Gaetano Oristanio’s strike off the line with goalkeeper Mile Svilar stranded after parrying another effort from Pohjanpalo.

Ridgeciano Haps had a goal ruled out for Venezia early in the second half, for offside in the buildup, before Roma leveled in somewhat fortunate circumstances in the 75th minute.

Bryan Cristante’s powerful shot took a massive deflection off Busio to loop up and drop between Venezia goalkeeper Jesse Joronen and the crossbar.

And Roma turned the match around completely eight minutes later when Pisilli, who turned 20 last Monday, headed in a corner at the near post.

First defeat

Torino fell to its first league defeat of the season, losing 3-2 at home to Lazio.

Torino had gone into the weekend as surprise leader but found itself behind in the eighth minute when Nuno Tavares burst down the left and pulled back from the byline for Matteo Guendouzi.

It was a fourth assist in as many matches for Tavares after the defender joined on loan from Arsenal in the offseason.

Boulaye Dia doubled Lazio’s lead on the hour mark but Che Adams reduced the deficit seven minutes later as the Scotland forward netted for the third successive match.

Tijjani Noslin all but sealed the win for Lazio in the final minute when he scored within 30 seconds of coming off the bench. Saul Coco grabbed a stoppage-time consolation for Torino with a stunning, acrobatic volley into the top left corner.

Como beat 10-man Hellas Verona 3-2.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press