|
|
|
 |
 |
| Juan with the winner for Roma |
 |
Roma returned to winning ways as they saw off strugglers Bari this afternoon.
Juan's goal on the half-hour mark was the difference between the two sides at the Stadio Olimpico.
Ten minutes earlier, Roma captain Francesco Totti saw his penalty saved by goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet after Michele Rinaldi had brought down Marco Borriello inside the area.
Shortly before the hour mark, Marco Cassetti was unlucky not to have scored Roma's second of the afternoon with his header rebounding off the far post.
The result lifts Roma to sixth in the standings, level on 26 points with Palermo.
Bari, meanwhile, remain rooted at the bottom of the standings with just two points collected in their past 11 games.
Roma went into the game having failed to win their last three encounters, including Wednesday's 1-1 draw at Cluj in the Champions League.
It was Bari, desperate to clinch their first win since September 26, who looked the most dangerous side in the opening stages.
Massimo Donati fired just wide of the near post from a good angle, and shortly afterward Nico Pulzetti struck off target from the heart of the area.
In the 20th minute, Totti's spot-kick towards the bottom right corner was met by a fine save from Gillet.
But Totti made amends shortly after.
His free-kick towards the area was not cleared by Bari's defence and Juan struck from close range to put the home side in front.
The hosts continued to push forward and Jeremy Menez could have made it 2-0 but his 25-yard effort went just wide.
Roma coach Claudio Ranieri was forced to make a substitution at half-time, with goalkeeper Alexander Doni replacing the injured Bogdan Lobont.
Early in the second half, Gianluca Galasso tried his luck from long distance and his effort did not trouble Doni.
On the hour mark, Totti fed Borriello inside the area and his powerful shot was met by a fine save from Gillet.
With three minutes remaining, Borriello had a goal disallowed after he was adjudged to have used his arm when controlling Matteo Brighi's pass.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
