Roma Dominates Udinese 5-2 to Climb to Third Place in Serie A

AS Roma secured a dominant 5-2 victory against Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium during the tenth round of Serie A on October 31, 2026. The commanding performance allowed Gian Piero Gasperini's side to consolidate third place in the standings with 24 points, sitting just one length behind league leaders Inter and Lazio.

Playing without the injured Paulo Dybala, the visiting squad deployed an attacking trio consisting of Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora, and Donyell Malen. Despite an energetic start from the hosts under manager Kosta Runjaić, the match shifted in the tenth minute when Bryan Cristante opened the scoring with a precise header from a cross by Wesley.

The early advantage unleashed an offensive surge from the capital club. Soulé hit the goalpost and Malen struck the crossbar before Roma overwhelmed the defense in a dominant final fifteen minutes of the first half. Mora doubled the lead in the 31st minute following an assist from Cristante, and Malen added a third just two minutes later. Defender Evan Ndicka capped off the flawless opening period by heading in a corner kick from Soulé, sending Roma into halftime with a comfortable 4-0 lead.

Udinese attempted a response in the second half. Former Roma player Nicolò Zaniolo narrowed the deficit in the 51st minute by turning in a rebound, and Matteo Palma added a second for the hosts during a goalmouth scramble in the 78th minute. However, any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in stoppage time when Daniele Ghilardi fired a powerful right-footed shot under the crossbar to seal the 5-2 final score.

Reflecting on the match, Gasperini expressed satisfaction with his team's attacking output while noting a brief drop in intensity after the break. "When you are up 4-0 at halftime, even though we told everyone to stay focused and defend well, concentration can slip," Gasperini said. The manager also addressed ongoing roster challenges, noting hopes of eventually recovering sidelined players such as Dybala, Koné, and Svilar ahead of upcoming fixtures.

For Udinese, the heavy defeat marks their fifth loss in six matches, deepening a difficult stretch that leaves them second-to-last in the standings. Runjaić lamented his team's struggles in individual duels during the opening period. "We lost too many duels, and Roma's quality came through," Runjaić stated, adding that the squad must remain united and work hard to overcome their current defensive frailties.