Roma thrash Fiorentina to seal a record 14th consecutive home win

Roma earned a record 14^th consecutive home win on Tuesday with Edin Dzeko scoring twice to complete a 4-0 rout over Fiorentina.

The hosts broke a record that stood since 1930 thanks to strikes from Dzeko, Radja Nainggolan and Federico Fazio.

With that, Roma closed the gap on leaders Juventus to four points, while Fiorentina sank to only one win at the Stadio Olimpico in their last 22 visits. 

But it was the Giallorossi who were tested early on, as Fiorentina winger Federico Chiesa went close twice in the first half. 

Fazio cleared Chiesa's lob off the line, while Emerson headed Federico Bernadeschi’s cross out for a corner before the youngster could meet it. 

Roma found their groove soon enough though. Nainggolan linked up with Kevin Strootman who fed a diagonal ball to the Brazilian, Bruno Peres, who scuffed over from six yards out.

Would Dzeko have finished from there? Roma wouldn’t have to rue their missed opportunity for long. The former Manchester City striker scored his first on 39 minutes, killing Daniele De Rossi’s lob before stroking past Ciprian Tatarusanu in the Fiorentina goal.

Indeed, Dzeko’s weight of touch belied his 6 foot 4 frame but Bruno Sanchez should have shrugged him off the ball.

By the time Fazio netted with 58 minutes gone, Fiorentina looked down and out. De Rossi whipped in an inswinging free kick which Fazio nodded in across goal. The defender wanted the ball more than anyone else, while De Rossi impressed with his second assist of the evening.

After the hour mark, Roma picked up the tempo. Nainggolan dribbled through tight spaces, and Stephan El Shaarawy carried the ball with intent. 

Dzeko was everywhere. He cut out a Sanchez back-pass and swiped wide. He flicked a header towards Fazio, who couldn’t quite stretch enough to head in his second.

As Fiorentina continued to crumble, Naingollan took full advantage. The Belgian scored a third on 75 minutes when, in one airborne motion, he brought down a Strootman lob with the outside of his boot and slammed in past Tatarusanu.  

Few defences can live with Nainggolan in this kind of mood and the same can be said of Dzeko, who became Serie A’s top scorer with his second of the match and 17^th of the season on 83 minutes.

Sanchez played another suicide ball in the air towards Davide Asotri, who Dzeko easily muscled past to slide in the winner. Roma were rampant but it’s hard to decide which team 4-0 flattered the most.