In a commanding Serie A performance on Sunday, AS Roma’s star striker, Romelu Lukaku, netted twice, guiding his team to a resounding 4-1 triumph over bottom-placed Cagliari. This impressive win alleviated the pressure on manager Jose Mourinho, whose leadership had come under scrutiny in recent times.
The visitors wasted no time asserting their dominance as Houssem Aouar and Lukaku found the net within the opening 20 minutes, securing a 2-0 lead for Roma at halftime. Substitute Andrea Belotti joined the scoring spree, along with Lukaku’s second goal, effectively sealing the victory.
Roma’s ascent continued as they moved up to the 10th spot in the Serie A standings, accumulating 11 points from eight games. In contrast, Cagliari remained rooted to the bottom, having managed just two points so far this season.
Despite Cagliari’s league struggles, it was Mourinho who garnered much of the spotlight due to Roma’s inconsistent form at the start of the campaign. Nevertheless, Roma seized control early in the match, and their first away league victory of the season rarely seemed in doubt.
Following the match, Mourinho expressed his commitment to the club, stating, “I have a contract until June 30th, I know what I want, and I want to give everything to Roma. There is no problem, and I’m happy because Roma won.”
The 19th minute witnessed a moment of brilliance when Leonardo Spinnazola delivered an exquisite pass to midfielder Aouar in Cagliari’s area, and Aouar struck it emphatically for his second goal of the season. A mere minute later, Roma doubled their lead as Lukaku, in a one-two with Rick Karsdorp, chested home a close-range cross.
Cagliari threatened earlier in the match, with goalkeeper Rui Patricio making a crucial save to deny Andrea Petagna’s header in the 10th minute.
The only sour note for Roma was an injury to Paulo Dybala, who had to be substituted five minutes before halftime. Andrea Belotti, his replacement, promptly extended Roma’s lead to 3-0 six minutes into the second half.
Belotti showcased his skill by eluding the offside trap, collecting a long pass from Leandro Paredes, and deftly maneuvering past defender Gabriele Zappa before slotting the ball past Simone Scuffet, securing his third league goal of the season.
Dybala’s injury cast a shadow over the evening, with Mourinho expressing concern, saying, “I’m not optimistic when he isn’t optimistic. I always trust the players a lot.”
Roma’s fourth goal materialized in the 59th minute through a well-executed sequence. Belotti provided a pass to Paredes, who delivered a first-time ball into the box for Lukaku. The prolific striker calmly controlled the ball before dispatching it into the far corner.
With a comfortable lead, Roma conserved energy, allowing Cagliari opportunities to venture forward. In the 87th minute, Cagliari capitalized on a needless handball by Bryan Cristante, with Nahitan Nandez converting the subsequent penalty to salvage a late consolation goal.
