Lecce 0-2 Roma: Malen Double, Jornada 2 Serie A
Roma hold a commanding 0-2 lead at Lecce after 23 minutes of their Serie A Matchday 2 encounter, with Donyell Malen the architect of both goals at the Stadio Via del Mare. An early VAR disallowance and a yellow card for Malen have added early drama to the fixture.
Written by Olivia Bennett
(1h ago)
Developing
What happened?
Donyell Malen scored in the fourth and 23rd minutes to give Roma a 0-2 lead away at Lecce in their Serie A Matchday 2 fixture.
Why it matters
The two-goal advantage is especially significant given Malen was booked in the ninth minute and an earlier Roma goal was ruled out by VAR, highlighting the fine margins shaping the contest.
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Roma are firmly in control at the Stadio Via del Mare, with Donyell Malen having scored twice in the opening quarter of an hour to put the visitors 0-2 ahead against Lecce in the second matchday of the Serie A season.
Malen the match-winner so far
The Dutch forward opened the scoring in the fourth minute, infiltrating Lecce's defensive lines and finishing with authority to give Roma an early advantage. He added a second in the 23rd minute, sealing the two-goal cushion with what the match commentary described as a precise finish after again cutting through the home side's defence. Malen was, however, shown a yellow card by referee Chiffi in the ninth minute, meaning he will be under caution for the remainder of the match.
VAR intervenes in opening exchanges
The match had barely begun before controversy arrived. In the third minute, Roma's Lulli appeared to have equalised from what was then a 0-0 scoreline, only for the VAR to rule out the effort, preserving the stalemate before Malen's fourth-minute opener changed the complexion entirely.
Context and team news
Roma lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Dybala operating behind the striker. Lecce deployed a 3-5-2 shape in response. The visitors were without Pellegrini and Rensch ahead of kick-off, presenting a selection challenge for the Roma coaching staff. The match is being played in warm conditions — 31.7 degrees Celsius under clear skies — at the Stadio Via del Mare.
Roma arrived in Puglia with an eight-match unbeaten run and a squad valued at approximately €547.6 million, against a Lecce side valued at around €132.5 million. Lecce's most recent head-to-head victory over Roma came by a 1-0 scoreline, though Roma hold four wins and a draw across the broader history of meetings between the two clubs in Serie A.
With the match still in its early stages and Roma holding a two-goal lead, the principal question remaining is whether Lecce can find a way back into a contest that has so far been shaped almost entirely by their opponents' attacking efficiency.
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Source: La Vanguardia