A resounding victory for Roma... Lazio successfully overcomes Bologna

Substitute Italian coach Davide Frattesi, on loan from Inter to Lazio, and the capital club’s new manager, Gennaro Gattuso, secured their first victory, beating hosts Bologna 1-0 in the final match of the opening round of the Italian Serie A.

Following their exit from the Italian Cup last week at the hands of second-tier Mantua, Lazio and Gattuso were under intense scrutiny from highly frustrated fans who had been protesting the club’s owner, Claudio Lotito, for months, prompting them to boycott home matches. The capital club’s supporters endured another difficult first half at the Renato Dall’Ara stadium, but Frattesi’s introduction in the 53rd minute proved to be the turning point against the home side. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder, who had lost his starting place at Inter, gave his team the lead five minutes after coming on with a shot from inside the penalty area in the 59th minute.

The round concluded with a dominant 4-0 win for Roma against visitors Fiorentina, thanks to a hat-trick from their Dutch striker Donny van de Beek. Van de Beek, who received assists from Argentine Paulo Dybala for each goal, ignited the crowd at the Stadio Olimpico with his brace in the 27th and 52nd minutes, and a third in the 60th. Nicolò Zaniolo added a fourth goal in the 86th minute, turning Fabio Grosso’s debut as Fiorentina manager into a nightmare.