Milan, March 3: Paulo Dybala scored again and set up another as Roma won at Monza 4-1 in Serie A to continue its renaissance under coach Daniele De Rossi.
Fresh from a hat trick against Torino on Monday, Dybala capped another fine performance with a free kick in the 63rd minute after goals from Lorenzo Pellegrini and Romelu Lukaku.
Leandro Paredes converted a late penalty then Andrea Carboni scored a consolation for Monza.
Roma has won all but one of its seven Serie A matches since De Rossi replaced the fired Jose Mourinho and moved up to fifth, a point behind Bologna. The capital team has also reached the Europa League round of 16 where it will face Brighton on Thursday.
Monza was unbeaten in its previous five matches but Roma took full control of an entertaining match late in the first half.
Seven minutes from halftime, Lukaku diverted Bryan Cristante’s pass into the path of Pellegrini and the Roma captain muscled his way past Samuele Birindelli before drilling into the bottom right corner.
Lukaku doubled Roma’s advantage four minutes later when he fired in Dybala’s cross. It was Dybala’s seventh assist in Serie A and the Argentine World Cup winner netted his 12th league goal in the second half when he curled a free kick into the bottom right corner.
Roma extended its lead again eight minutes from time when Paredes blasted a spot kick into the top right corner after Monza midfielder Warren Bondo was penalized for hauling Dean Huijsen over on a corner.
Carboni fired a long-range effort home with three minutes remaining.
Red Card
Seventh-placed Fiorentina could manage only 0-0 at Torino despite playing against 10 men in the second half.
Torino midfielder Samuele Ricci was sent off in first-half stoppage time following two yellow cards in less than 90 seconds – the first for an elbow on Nicolás González and the second for screaming at the referee for not immediately booking Arthur for a foul.
Fiorentina was left six points behind Bologna, which plays another rival for the Champions League spots in sixth-placed Atalanta on Sunday.
First point
Bottom team Salernitana got its first point under new coach Fabio Liverani after it drew at 10-man Udinese 1-1.
Loum Tchaouna curled in the opener in the 10th minute for Salernitana’s first goal under Liverani following losses against Inter Milan and Monza.
Hassane Kamara levelled in first-half stoppage time with an acrobatic overhead kick.
Udinese midfielder Festy Ebosele was sent off in the 64th for a second booking.
Udinese inched four points clear of the drop zone, and Salernitana was six points from safety. (AP)
