The first match of the Gian Piero Gasperini era at the Stadio Olimpico wasn’t the goalfest many fans envisioned (though it was close!), but the blueprint was evident: Gasperini’s side was calm in possession, dangerous in the wider spaces, and created chances left, right, and center. It won’t be long before Roma regularly steamrolls opponents, but for the first time in three years, the Giallorossi won its home opener.
With the stands filled to the brim with Roma supporters eagerly anticipating an opening
day masterclass from Gasperini, the Olimpico seemed ready to burst at a moment’s notice. While there were a few surprises in Gasperini’s first official Roma lineup, the former Atalanta tactician relied heavily on two of the summer’s biggest transfers: Brazilian wing-back Wesley and hulking Irish striker Evan Ferguson.
In the earliest stages of the match, it nearly paid off as Ferguson ripped off two shots in the opening 10 minutes or so. While neither found the back of the net, Ferguson showed impressive pace, positioning, and, most importantly, intuition—wherever the ball went, Ferguson was sure to follow. Whether running off the last defender, working combination plays with the wide players, or slipping into the box unnoticed, Ferguson displayed an understanding of attacking football that belies his young age.
His first attempt, a weak left footer in the 5th minute, didn’t trouble Bologna keeper Lukasz Skorupski, but Ferguson’s subsequent attempts—a stinging right-footer from the edge of the box and a 16th-minute header—yielded a combined 0.14 xG, according to SofaScore. In simple terms, his attempts grew more dangerous as he settled into the match.
But Roma’s first best chance came from the much-maligned Bryan Cristante, who watched in dismay as his 23rd-minute header pinged off the frame of the goal. Undaunted by that miss, Roma continued to take the initiative, relying on Wesley’s swift feet and Man Koné’s relentless energy in midfield to drive the ball forward.
While Wesley had his first look at goal in the 38th minute—a left-footed attempt that sailed wide of the mark—the young Brazilian brought the house down shortly after the half-time break, scoring the first goal of the Gasperini era.
After struggling to settle a long, looping ball from Cristante, Wesley caught a bit of a break. Thanks to a heavy touch, the ball ran away from Wesley, but thanks to an even worse touch from Bologna’s Jhon Lucumí, Wesley found the ball right back at his feet. And with a deft touch on the ball, Wesley pushed the ball just past Skorupski’s outstretched leg to give Roma a one-goal lead.
Wesley nearly set up a goal shortly thereafter, pouncing on a loose ball and squaring it to Ferguson, but the defense reacted quickly enough to negate the chance. But Roma’s €30 million summer signing wasn’t done making his mark. In the 63rd minute, Wesley and Ferguson teamed up again, with the Irishman playing the final ball to Koné in the box. However, rather than one-timing Ferguson’s ball, Koné let the ball drop, preferring to place a finesse shot at the near post, but, well…
The look on Koné’s face said it all—he knew this goal would have iced the match with roughly 30 minutes to play. Still, thanks to Roma’s continued pressure and some fine defensive work from Evan Ndicka, Gianluca Mancini, and Mario Hermoso, the Giallorossi kept Bologna at bay, surviving the final stretch plus stoppage time to kick off the Gasperini era with a W.
Final Thoughts
It would be foolish to expect Gasperini to recreate his Atalanta success with Roma immediately; that kind of intricate, intense football will take time to develop. Still, the blueprint was apparent: Roma will be an aggressive, pressing side that forces opponents into making mistakes in the midfield before tilting the pitch in the blink of an eye. Thanks to Wesley’s pace and agility out wide and Ferguson’s intuitive movements up front, Gasperini’s group will create chance after chance this season.
If Sporting Director Frederic Massara can cobble together the final pieces before the transfer window closes, we may be onto something here.
Up Next
Roma faces Serie A newcomers Pisa on the road on August 30th.
