Key Takeaways:
- AS Roma secured their seventh consecutive Serie A victory, defeating Lecce 4-0 at Via Del Mare
- Donyell Malen became the first Roma player since Vincenzo Montella in 2004/05 to score four goals in the opening two league matches
- Roma have now recorded a fourth successive away league win and five straight head-to-head triumphs over Lecce
Clinical Roma Overwhelm Lecce Early
AS Roma maintained their perfect start to the new Serie A campaign by dismantling US Lecce 4-0 at Via Del Mare, registering their seventh straight league win dating back to last season. Building on a comprehensive 4-0 victory against Fiorentina, Roma imposed themselves right from kick-off.
The contest was barely four minutes old when Kialonda Gasper’s defensive lapse allowed Donyell Malen – fresh from his hat-trick performance a week prior – to open the scoring. In doing so, Malen wrote his name in the club’s history books as the first Roma player to net four goals across the opening two Serie A fixtures since Vincenzo Montella achieved the feat in the 2004/05 season.
Triplice fischio 🔚
Vinciamo ancora 4-0, stavolta con i gol di Malen (2), Soulé e Mora 😍#LecceRoma pic.twitter.com/RXLsAucjwu
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) August 31, 2026
Malen and Soule Shine as Roma Dominate First Half
Matias Soule nearly doubled the lead soon after, testing Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone with a stinging effort. Roma’s sustained pressure was rewarded midway through the opening period when Wesley Franca delivered a low cross to the near post, and Malen squeezed home his second of the evening past Falcone. Remarkably, this marked the 10th time in Malen’s last 11 club goals that he had scored inside the opening hour.
Shortly after, Malen turned provider, unselfishly squaring to Soule. Although Soule’s initial shot was parried by Falcone, he reacted quickest to smash in the rebound and send the visitors three goals ahead. Roma continued to threaten, with both Soule and Malen narrowly missing the target with further efforts. Lecce, meanwhile, struggled to stem the relentless Giallorossi attack but nearly snatched a reply when Willem Geubbels was denied in a one-on-one by Mile Svilar.
Lecce Seek Consolation But Roma Complete Rout
After the interval, Roma appeared content to manage proceedings with the result all but secure. Lecce had arguably their best opening shortly after the hour mark when Lassana Coulibaly’s header struck the post and Mario Hermoso was forced to clear off the line. Yet Roma remained a constant danger on the counter, with Paulo Dybala curling a promising effort narrowly over the goal.
Ultimately, the visitors added a fourth to mirror their opening round scoreline. Centre-back Gianluca Mancini surged forward and delivered a simple ball for summer signing Rodrigo Mora, who tapped home his first goal for the club. This comprehensive result propelled Roma back to the top of the Serie A table, ensuring maximum confidence and maintaining momentum following a fourth consecutive away league win and a fifth successive victory over Lecce in head-to-head encounters. Conversely, Lecce will have to wait at least another season to secure victories in their opening two top-flight matches for the first time in their history.
