AS Roma beat Udinese 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico, climbing to the top of Serie A, at least temporarily, thanks to their sixth consecutive victory over the visitors.
With AC Milan and Napoli both dropping points earlier in the weekend, Roma had the perfect chance to claim the summit, and they started the game with clear intent.
Manu Koné tested Udinese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki with a tame effort, while Zeki Çelik came close with a header that narrowly missed the target.
Udinese threatened midway through the first half when Arthur Atta found space but dragged his shot wide under pressure from Wesley.
Roma almost capitalized immediately, as Bryan Cristante struck the post from the edge of the box, and Hassane Kamara tested Mile Svilar with a long-range effort.
The decisive moment of the first half came just before the break. Kamara handled the ball in the area, and after a VAR check, the referee awarded a penalty. Captain Lorenzo Pellegrini stepped up from 12 yards and confidently converted to give Roma the lead at halftime.
After the interval, Adam Buksa forced Svilar into a smart save, keeping Udinese in the game.
Roma, however, secured their second goal around the hour mark. Çelik, who had been a constant threat, combined with Gianluca Mancini before slotting a precise shot through a crowded box to double the advantage.
Udinese continued to push forward, with former Roma man Nicolò Zaniolo nearly reducing the deficit, but Svilar made a crucial save after Evan Ndicka’s poor pass. Despite their efforts, Udinese could not find a way back into the match.
The win lifts Roma above Inter Milan in the Serie A standings for now, marking only their second home victory in five games.
Udinese remain mid-table and continue to struggle away from home, now without a win in their last four road fixtures.
