Donyell Malen made a stunning impact in his first match for Roma. He scored the opening goal in a 2-0 victory over Torino on Sunday. This win helped Roma solidify their fourth-place position in Serie A.
Malen's Memorable Debut
Malen joined Roma on loan from Aston Villa just last Friday. The deal includes an option to make it permanent at the season's end. Celebrating his 27th birthday on Monday, the Netherlands forward started the match immediately.
He thought he had scored in the 23rd minute. However, the goal was disallowed for offside after he ran onto a pass from Paulo Dybala. Just three minutes later, Malen found the net for real. He controlled another precise pass from Dybala and slotted the ball past Torino goalkeeper Alberto Paleari.
Dybala added a second goal for Roma in the 72nd minute. His shot from the edge of the area was parried by Paleari. The ball came back to Dybala, who volleyed it into the roof of the net. This result also avenged Roma's midweek defeat to Torino in the Italian Cup.
Fiorentina's Emotional Tribute
In another Serie A match, Fiorentina delivered an emotional 2-1 win at Bologna. The team paid tribute to their late owner, Rocco Commisso. Commisso, who purchased Fiorentina in 2019, passed away early Saturday. His family requested the team play the match as scheduled in his honor.
Fiorentina players warmed up wearing special shirts. These shirts featured Commisso's photo on the back with the words "1 Rocco". The front displayed "Grazie Rocco". A minute of silence was observed before kickoff, a gesture repeated across all Serie A matches this weekend. Players also wore black armbands, and away fans held up banners in tribute.
Goal Celebrations for Commisso
Rolando Mandragora scored the opening goal for Fiorentina in the 19th minute. He celebrated by running to the touchline and picking up a special Fiorentina jersey with "Rocco" on it. Mandragora was later seen wearing that shirt during post-match celebrations.
Roberto Piccoli doubled Fiorentina's lead right before halftime. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but was awarded after a video review. Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano, who previously coached Fiorentina to three finals, showed visible frustration. He hurled his hat to the ground and made four substitutions at halftime.
One of those substitutes, Giovanni Fabbian, headed in a late consolation goal for Bologna. This win moved relegation-threatened Fiorentina level on points with Lecce. Bologna, with only one win in their last 10 Serie A matches, slid down to eighth place in the table.
Other Serie A Action
Earlier on Sunday, Parma and Genoa played to a 0-0 draw in a relegation battle. Genoa now sits three points above the drop zone and three points below Parma. The Serie A weekend was marked by both sporting drama and heartfelt tributes.
