Jordan bags a brace as Roma hit Udinese 3-0

Jordan Veretout bagged a brace before Pedro’s stoppage-time strike allowed Roma to sweep Udinese aside 3-0.

The Giallorossi had Lorenzo Pellegrini back from his ban, but again left Edin Dzeko on the bench following his row with coach Paulo Fonseca. Chris Smalling, Marash Kumbulla and Nicolò Zaniolo were all dealing with fitness issues. Udinese came into this match off three consecutive clean sheets, but Roberto Pereyra joined Fernando Forestieri, Mato Jajalo and Ignacio Pussetto on the treatment table.

It took under five minutes to break the deadlock, as Gianluca Mancini floated a ball in from the right and Veretout got in front of Jens Stryger Larsen for the header from six yards.

The French midfielder almost completed his brace soon after, Juan Musso sticking out a leg to parry his deflected effort, while Roger Ibanez was denied by a desperate Stryger Larsen block from point-blank range.

Another well-worked Roma move saw the ball rolled across from the right by Veretout for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was caught by Musso as he tried to dink the ball over him from six yards. The referee pointed to the spot and Veretout converted for his brace.

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Roma did score a third goal with Pellegrini meeting the Veretout pull-back from the by-line, but it was disallowed following a VAR on-field review, as Mkhitaryan had fouled Stryger Larsen in the build-up.

Rodrigo De Paul’s free kick whistled just past the top corner, as there was more of Udinese in the second half, yet Pellegrini could’ve made it 3-0 with a diving header wide from Leonardo Spinazzola’s pull-back.

Bryan Cristante accidentally sent Deulofeu clear on goal with a howler, but he was rescued by a remarkable Pau Lopez save one-on-one.