Serie A Roundup: As Lukaku settles at Roma, Leao still making an impact for AC Milan
ROME — While Romelu Lukaku is simply getting began at Roma, AC Milan’s most emblematic participant stays impactful.
Rafael Leao’s acrobatic objective in a 2-1 win at struggling Roma on Friday prolonged the Rossoneri’s excellent begin to three straight victories in Serie A.
The Italian league’s Most worthy participant when he helped Milan to the title in 2022, Leao was mendacity on the bottom when he whipped his proper leg round to satisfy a cross from Davide Calabria and strike the ball in off the far publish whereas seemingly not even seeing the objective.
“He was the reference point for our attack tonight,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli stated. “Rafa is an exceptional player.”
Lukaku got here on within the seventieth for his Roma debut after his high-profile mortgage from Chelsea and instantly put a shot towards objective, lacking excessive narrowly.
Olivier Giroud put Milan forward with an early penalty kick for his fourth objective within the opening three video games — a feat no Rossoneri participant has achieved since Andriy Shevchenko greater than 20 years in the past.
Leonardo Spinazzola pulled one again for Roma in stoppage time.
Christian Pulisic shone for Milan in its opening two video games. The United States standout was one in every of greater than 10 new gamers signed by the seven-time European champion.
Milan moved three factors forward of defending champion Napoli, metropolis rival Inter Milan and Hellas Verona, which dropped its first factors in a 3-1 loss at Sassuolo earlier.
Napoli hosts Lazio on Saturday and Inter hosts Fiorentina on Sunday.
Roma was left on one level close to the underside of the standings.
While Roma coach Jose Mourinho was again from a two-game touchline ban for protests final season, the Giallorossi missed Paulo Dybala, who was out with a thigh situation.
Lukaku was offered to the Stadio Olimpico crowd an hour earlier than kickoff with a fireworks show in Roma’s colours of yellow and crimson. Then he saluted followers under the curva sud (southern finish) the place the workforce’s hard-core “ultra” supporters sit.
“This is your Colosseum and these are your people,” the stadium’s public handle announcer stated.
Milan completed with 10 males after Fikayo Tomori picked up a second yellow card.
BERARDI’S BACK
Domenico Berardi made his season debut for Sassuolo and scored twice within the 3-1 win over beforehand excellent Hellas Verona.
Berardi, who has spent just about his complete profession at Sassuolo, had been talked about as a possible switch goal by Juventus. But he stayed put and has 135 targets in his profession for the Emilia-Romagna membership — 115 of them in Serie A.
