Roma thumps Fiorentina and Cremonese misses chance to boost survival chances Roma secured a 4-0 victory over Fiorentina in Serie A on Monday, moving into fifth place in the league standings. The win strengthened Roma's position in the race for a top-four finish and a Champions League berth. Gianluca Mancini opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a header from a corner kick. Wesley added a second goal five minutes later, putting Gian Piero Gasperini’s side in control. Mario Hermoso scored the third goal after a well-executed set piece by Manu Kone, and Niccolò Pisilli completed the scoring early in the second half. The result marked Fiorentina’s first league defeat in eight games, leaving them in 16th place. The Viola remain in the relegation battle, nine points clear of the drop zone, though they still need a point to guarantee survival. In a separate match, Lazio extended its lead in the mid-table battle with a 2-1 victory over Cremonese at home. The win proved crucial for Lazio as they moved into eighth place, two points ahead of Bologna and Sassuolo. Cremonese, however, missed a vital opportunity to strengthen its survival chances, remaining third from bottom in the league. The home side took an early lead in the first half when Federico Bonazzoli’s left-footed shot found the bottom corner, evading Lazio goalkeeper Edoardo Motta. However, the visitors equalized in the second half through Gustav Isaksen, who capitalized on a defensive error. Tijjani Noslin restored Lazio’s lead in stoppage time with a curling free kick, securing the three points. Cremonese has won only one of its last 21 league matches, highlighting its struggles in the relegation fight. Despite the loss, the club remains four points behind 17th-place Lecce, with three games left to play in the season.#gian_piero_gasperini #roma #fiorentina #wesley #gianluca_mancini
Italy Veterans Aware 2026 World Cup Is Their 'Last Chance' Italy’s senior players are acutely aware that the 2026 World Cup represents their final opportunity to compete on the global stage, with the team’s generation facing the prospect of missing out on the tournament for the third consecutive time. The Azzurri’s recent 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in the World Cup playoff semifinals has set up a crucial showdown against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, where the winner will secure a spot in Group B of the upcoming tournament. The stakes are high, as Italy has not qualified for the World Cup since 2018, with a painful exit to Uruguay in 2014 and subsequent failures in the qualifying playoffs for the last two editions of the competition. For players like winger Matteo Politano, the pressure is palpable. At 32, Politano has never played in a World Cup despite two Serie A titles with Napoli. He acknowledges that time is running out for his generation, stating, “We all know what we’re playing for. For me, and for a few of the other senior players, it’s probably our last chance.” This sentiment is echoed by defenders who must confront a familiar challenge: containing Bosnia’s 40-year-old forward Edin Dzeko, a player they have faced in club settings. Dzeko, who has scored 73 international goals, including a headed equalizer against Wales in a penalty shootout, poses a significant threat due to his physicality and aerial ability. Dzeko’s history with Italy’s defenders adds another layer to the matchup. He was a teammate of Gianluca Mancini, Riccardo Calafiori, and Alessandro Bastoni during their time at AS Roma from 2015 to 2021. Dzeko later joined Inter Milan, where he played alongside Bastoni in the squad that reached the 2023 Champions League final.#italy #edin_dzeko #bosnia_and_herzegovina #matteo_politano #gianluca_mancini
