Stadio Via del Mare, Lecce — 31 August 2026
AS Roma made it back-to-back 4-0 victories to open the 2026/27 Serie A season, brushing aside a toothless Lecce side in front of 27,031 fans at the Via del Mare. A rampant Donyell Malen scored twice, with further goals from Matías Soulé and substitute Rodrigo Mora sealing a one-sided contest that was effectively over inside the first half hour.
Lecce (3-5-2): Falcone; Tiago Gabriel (Gorter 46'), Gaspar, Siebert; Veiga, Coulibaly, Ngom (Ilic 71'), Gorter (Maleh 46'), Ndaba; Pierotti (Fatah 71'), Geubbels (Stulic 54').
Coach: Eusebio Di Francesco
Roma (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Ghilardi, Mancini, Hermoso; Lulli, Cristante, Koné (Pisilli 67'), Wesley (Molina 60'); Soulé (Mora 60'), Dybala (De Roon 84'); Malen (Castro 67').
Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini
Scorers: Malen 4', Malen 23', Soulé 25', Mora 65'
Gian Piero Gasperini's side needed just four minutes to make the breakthrough. A miscued clearance from Lecce defender Kialonda Gaspar fell straight into the path of Malen, who made no mistake in front of goal to give the visitors the lead almost immediately.
The Dutch forward struck again on 23 minutes, this time with an outrageous chipped finish over goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone, and Roma had the game effectively wrapped up two minutes later when Soulé, restored to the starting XI amid transfer speculation surrounding his future, added a third. By the half-hour mark, the hosts were staring at a mountain they had no way of climbing.
Eusebio Di Francesco's Lecce, who had opened their campaign with a battling win over Venezia, offered little in response. The Salento side managed just two shots on target across the ninety minutes and could not find a foothold against a Roma team dominating both the ball (66% possession) and territory.
Roma made the game safe for good in the 65th minute. Mora, on the pitch for barely five minutes after replacing Soulé, finished off a slick move started by Gianluca Mancini for his first goal in giallorosso colours, a fitting reward on a night that also marked competitive debuts for new arrivals Marten de Roon and Ricardo Molina off the bench.
| Stat | Lecce | Roma |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 34% | 66% |
| Shots (on target) | 7 (2) | 15 (8) |
| Corners | 2 | 1 |
| Fouls | 9 | 8 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
Malen was the standout performer, taking his season tally to five goals in two matches and pushing hard for a hat-trick that never arrived. Soulé also impressed, repaying his manager's faith with a well-taken goal on top of a lively overall display.
At the other end, it was a night to forget for Gaspar, whose error gifted Roma the opener and who struggled throughout against the visitors' movement in behind.
The result sends Roma to six points from two games, level at the top of the early Serie A table alongside Juventus, Inter and Milan, and continues the free-scoring start Gasperini's men produced with an identical 4-0 win over Fiorentina in the opening round. It also extends an increasingly one-sided recent rivalry: Roma have now kept a clean sheet in four consecutive league meetings with Lecce.
For Di Francesco's Lecce, the manner of the defeat — rather than the result itself — will be the greater concern, with the switch to a back three failing to contain a Roma attack that carved the hosts open at will. Lecce will look to regroup quickly, with a trip to Cagliari up next, while Roma stay at home to host Monza as they aim to keep their perfect start alive.