Roma 2-0 Lazio: Paulo Fonseca’s side secure local bragging rights after Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pedro grab the goals to end rivals’ faint hopes of clinching Champions League football
- Defeat means Lazio can no longer mathematically finish in the top four of Serie A
- Roma remain seventh but cannot finish any higher than their current position
- Lazio defender Francesco Acerbi was sent off late on for two yellow cards
A long-range screamer from AS Roma substitute Pedro crowned a 2-0 Rome Derby win on Saturday that mathematically ended Lazio’s hopes of a top-four finish in Serie A.
Lazio have another two games to play before the season ends next Sunday, but the sixth-placed side are eight points behind Juventus in the fourth and final Champions League place.
Roma are six points behind Lazio in seventh place and can finish no higher, but they moved five points clear of Sassuolo, who face Parma on Sunday.
Former Manchester United and Arsenal star Henrikh Mkhitaryan gave Roma the lead
Mkhitaryan is mobbed by his team mates after giving his side the lead at the Stadio Olimpico
Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic battles for possession with Roma’s Ebrima Darboe
Lazio started the stronger as Luis Alberto had a shot well saved by young goalkeeper Daniel Fuzato and Vedat Muriqiâs well-taken finish was ruled out for offside.
But Roma went ahead shortly before halftime when Edin Dzeko skipped past Lazio defender Francesco Acerbi to the byline and cut a pass back to Henrikh Mkhitaryan for a simple finish.
Pedro doubled their lead on the 78th minute with a superb individual goal as he dribbled past two defenders and fired a swerving shot into the bottom corner from outside the area. Lazio’s night got even worse late on when Acerbi was shown a second yellow card for a shirt pull on Dzeko.
Former Manchester City and current Roma striker Edin Dzeko argues with the referee
Former Chelsea star Pedro celebrates after putting Roma 2-0 up in the Rome Derby
