Match Report: Udinese V AS Roma 26th January 2025
On 26 January 2025 by Gillyowl
Let’s look at the positive side of things. Even though Roma lost their last Europa League match to AZ Alkmaar, there’s been a lot of good stuff going on for the team lately. They dominated Genoa in their last league match, winning 3-1, and had a great run of positive results before that. They even climbed up to 9th place in the table. Now, with a win-or-go-home Europa League match against Eintracht Frankfurt next week, Roma’s manager, Claudio Ranieri, decided to make some changes to his lineup for their match against Udinese.
He gave some of his players a rest and brought in some new faces, like Tommaso Baldanzi and Devyne Rensch, who just recently signed with the club. It was a bold move, but it seemed to pay off in the end. The match against Udinese started slowly, but Roma eventually found their rhythm and created some chances. They had a few near-misses, but unfortunately, they conceded a goal just when it seemed like they were in control, which was due to a set piece mistake.
It’s tough to pinpoint blame on any single Roma player for the hiccups we saw—like Pellegrini slipping just as Lucca was arriving or Dovbyk getting caught trying to cover two Udinese players simultaneously. But come on, when your assignment is a towering 6’7” player in black and white stripes, you really can’t lose track! Nevertheless, Roma showcased their resilience shortly after, with Dovbyk almost channeling his inner Dzeko, stylishly redirecting a lofted ball into the net only to be narrowly ruled offside.
Heading into halftime down by just one goal, they needed a spark, and coach Ranieri made some savvy adjustments with the introduction of Shomurodov, changing things up to a quasi-4-3-3 that gave the Giallorossi some extra breathing room on the flanks. Though they struggled initially, Roma’s clever play won them not one, but two penalties—Pellegrini’s persistence paid off when Kabasele’s handball set him up to equalize, and the second was a beautiful move between Shomurodov and El Shaarawy that left Udinese’s keeper in a panic. Dovbyk calmly converted, sealing the victory and marking a milestone for Ranieri with his 200th Serie A win, while Roma celebrated their first away triumph since April 2024.
What a comeback!
FINAL THOUGHS –
The Giallorossi have shown their character and resilience in a hard-fought win against Udinese today. Although the first half was somewhat uneventful, Claudio Ranieri’s side truly came alive in the second half, forcing the hosts into crucial mistakes in their own penalty area. It wasn’t the prettiest game by any means, but a win is a win, and Roma got the result they needed, giving several key players a well-deserved rest while also providing valuable experience to young talents like Baldanzi and Rensch. This was a productive outing in Udine, and it sets the stage for what promises to be a thrilling run-in to the conclusion of the season.
Panini Man of the Match
Lorenzo Pellegrini
