On matchday six of Serie A, Fiorentina face Roma on Sunday, October 5 for the 173rd meeting between the two clubs. Stefano Pioli, fresh from a positive debut win in the Conference League, was looking to claim his first league victory of the campaign. In their most recent encounter in Florence, the Viola ran out 5-1 winners over the Giallorossi thanks to a superb all-round team performance.

Fiorentina produced the first attempt on goal in the fourth minute, with a free kick from the edge of the area, but Rolando Mandragora fired high over the top. Moise Kean, making his return, received the ball outside the box, shifted it on to his right foot and unleashed a thunderbolt into the top corner that left Mile Svilar helpless to give Fiorentina a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute. Roma responded quickly in the 21st, as Artem Dovbyk set up Matias Soulé, who curled in a fine equalizer from the edge of the area. The visitors kept pressing and completed the turnaround on the half-hour mark when Bryan Cristante headed home from a Soule corner. After an excellent start, the Viola suddenly found themselves chasing the game.

In the 38th minute, Fiorentina came close to equalizing with a brilliant move: Albert Gudmundsson combined with Jacopo Fazzini, who slipped a pass through to Kean, but his left-footed strike hit the post to Svilar’s left. The first half ended with Roma 2-1 ahead. It had been a strong opening spell from Pioli’s men, but Roma took control midway through the half, with goals from Soule and Cristante turning things around.

The second half began with a change for Fiorentina, as Roberto Piccoli replaced the booked number 10. In the 50th minute, a quick Viola counter saw Fazzini go for goal, but Svilar made a routine save. Roma made their first substitutions, with Lorenzo Pellegrini coming on for Tommaso Baldanzi and Paulo Dybala replacing Dovbyk. Gian Piero Gasperini slightly adjusted the system, using the Argentine as a false nine. Fiorentina also made a change, as Fazzini went off with a minor knock and Cher Ndour came on. For Roma, Devyne Rensch replaced Konstantinos Tsimikas.

In the 69th minute, a free kick from Hans Nicolussi Caviglia found Piccoli, but the forward headed wide. Four minutes later, Fiorentina struck the woodwork again, as Piccoli unleashed a fierce right-footed shot that crashed off the crossbar – another moment of bad luck for the home side. More changes followed for the Viola, with Pietro Comuzzo and Edin Dzeko coming on for Pablo Mari and Mandragora.

A flurry of substitutions continued. For Roma, Jan Ziolkowski replaced Soule and Neil El Aynaoui came on for Wesley. On the Viola side, Dodo made way for Niccolo Fortini, who immediately delivered a superb cross for Robin Gosens, but the German somehow fired over from close range. In the 89th minute, the visitors threatened again through Dybala, whose shot from the edge of the box was well saved by David De Gea.

After five minutes of added time and several desperate balls into the area, the referee brought the game to an end. Fiorentina were unable to find the equalizer, as Roma took all three points home to end the day top of the table.

Fiorentina 1-2 Roma (HT: 1-2)

Fiorentina:

De Gea, Pongracic, Pablo Mari, Ranieri, Dodo, Nicolussi Caviglia, Mandragora, Fazzini, Gosens, Gudmundsson, Kean.

Coach: Pioli.

Subs: Martinelli, Lezzerini, Kouadio, Fortini, Parisi, Comuzzo, Viti, Fagioli, Sabiri, Ndour, Richardson, Piccoli, Dzeko.

Roma:

Svilar, Celik, Mancini, Ndicka, Wesley, Cristante, Kone, Tsimikas, Soulè, Baldanzi, Dovbyk.

Coach: Gasperini.

Subs: Llach, Gollini, Rensch, Pellegrini, El Aynaoui, Ferguson, Dybala, Hermoso, Ziółkowski, Pisilli, Traore, Ghilardi, El Shaarawy.

Booked:

Cristante, Gudmundsson, Tsimikas, Wesley, Pablo Mari.