Roma-Shakhtar 5-0: goals and fun with the Fantastic 4

Party had to be and party was: Roma, in the last friendly match of the pre-season, beat Shakhtar 5-0 (goals by Pellegrini, Mancini, own goal by Konoplya, Zaniolo and Bove) at the Olimpico and give themselves many positive sensations in sight debut next week in Salerno. Although the ground of the stadium is not in perfect condition, Roma show a good ball game on the ground and, especially in the first half, much of the credit goes to Pellegrini, Dybala, Abraham and Zaniolo: the fantastic four, who all Romanists would like to be on the pitch, they always look for each other and often find each other, they speak the same language and delight the 65 thousand fans with quality plays. The same quality – and quantity – is what Matic puts on the field: he recovers the ball, serves his teammates, acts as a breakwater in front of the defense and commands the game, from the height of his size, without fear. The same fear that Roma will not have to have in a week, when the championship starts: Mourinho’s team aims high.

FIRST TIME ON VELVET

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The match begins with Roma immediately pressing hard and Shakhtar, who entered the field with the players wrapped in the Ukrainian flag, trying to resist as much as he can. At 19 ‘the Giallorossi have the advantage thanks to the most anticipated men: Zaniolo, Pellegrini, Dybala and Abraham. Nicolò and Tammy exchange the ball that arrives on the feet of the Giallorossi number 21, a wonderful passage again for Abraham who touches just enough to send Pellegrini into the goal: spectacular. Roma want to have fun and entertain, Zaniolo and Dybala try again from distance, Paulo then launches Nicolò who, in front of the opposing goalkeeper, Trubin, fails to be concrete. In defense Vina, once again, is tried in the three behind, with Kumbulla and Mancini, on the right there is Celik with Spinazzola on the left; in the middle, with Pellegrini playing the double role but moving a little further forward, the dam is Nemanja Matic. Total player, 34 years of experience and muscles: for Mou he is a soldier and seeing how he plays the first of him at the Olimpico we understand why. The second goal arrives in the 40th minute thanks to Mancini: Abraham steals the ball on the back line, puts in the center, Zaniolo’s veil that opens the legs and Mancini’s right. The third goal, which closes the first half, is similar, at least in terms of pressure and desire to play the ball on the ground: Matic from the short side of the area puts in the middle, touch of the defender Konoplya who anticipates Spinazzola and scores an own goal.

LOVE FOR ZANIOLO

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In the second half the script does not change, instead Mourinho changes who, however, does not remove the four jewels from the field. Roma attack under the South curve and Zaniolo’s goal, in the quarter of an hour, is an explosion of joy for everyone: action on the El Shaarawy band, ball in depth and goal of the Giallorossi number 22. The market will tell what his future will be, but of course the people’s love for Nicolò, who is applauded every second, can play a role in the choice. Of him and of Rome. At 65 ‘another much-awaited moment with the debut of Gini Wijnaldum while a quarter of an hour from the end of the pole-crossbar hit by Pellegrini with the complicity of the goalkeeper. Mou gives the last quarter of an hour to the rest of the squad – including Shomurodov -, Dybala tries in every way to score but comes out 10 ‘from the end (the condition grows) and the fifth goal, in the end, is scored by Bove.

BLANCO AND JACOBS

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The closing, aside from football, is all by Blanco, who performs in the interval: “Until they bury me I’m with you”, he sings. And with him the whole Olimpico. Including Marcell Jacobs who, on the eve of a very important medical check-up, decides to treat himself to an evening of leisure with his partner. Roma did everything to entertain him too.