Roma go seven games unbeaten in Serie A with a 2-0 win over Genoa
Santiago Castro and Emanuele Lulli scored either side of half-time as Roma beat Genoa 2-0 at the Olimpico, closing to within two points of league leaders Inter.
Santiago Castro broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half, and Emanuele Lulli doubled it on 68 minutes, as Roma saw off a Genoa side that never looked capable of taking anything from the Olimpico. 2-0, Roma's fifth win of the season, and still unbeaten.
Seven games into the league season and Roma have lost none of them — five wins, two draws, and a defensive record matched only by Cagliari in the whole division: three goals conceded all season, well under half the Serie A average. Genoa managed one shot on target all afternoon against that back line and never seriously threatened it.
Closing the gap at the top
The win takes Roma to 17 points, two behind leaders Inter, who won 3-1 at Bologna on the same day. It is the closest Roma have been to top spot all season, and with the division's meanest defence behind them, the conversation in the capital is no longer just about Champions League qualification — it is about whether this is a title challenge.
Roma's build-up to this one had been a mixed stretch rather than a vintage one: a 2-2 draw at home to Inter, a goalless draw away at Como, and a 3-4 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in between. None of that form showed up here. Genoa, by contrast, arrived having won only once in their previous five across all competitions — a 2-1 home win over Fiorentina on the last matchday, otherwise three defeats and a draw.
Genoa stay in the bottom three
The defeat leaves Genoa 19th on four points from seven games, level on points with four other clubs and only above bottom-placed Venezia in the table. Five losses now outweigh one win and one draw, and 13 goals conceded is more than three times what Roma have let in all season — the gulf between the two sides at the Olimpico matched the gap between them in the standings.
Match facts
- 50' — Santiago Castro (Roma)
- 68' — Emanuele Lulli (Roma)
| Stat | Roma | Genoa |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 65.5% | 34.5% |
| Shots on target | 5 | 1 |
| Passes completed | 500/623 (80.3%) | 220/323 (68.1%) |
| Corners | 5 | 3 |
| Fouls committed | 10 | 7 |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 3 |
What's next
Roma are 2nd on 17 points, two behind Inter, one of four Serie A clubs — alongside Inter, Lazio and AC Milan — yet to lose this season. Genoa stay 19th on four points, one place above bottom-placed Venezia, and will need to find form fast to pull clear of the relegation zone.
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