Mancini rocket shoots Roma past Juve and into top four
Gianluca Mancini's thunderous strike moved Roma up to fourth place in Serie A with a 1-0 victory over Juventus at Stadio Olimpico.
The defender's rasping second-half drive sealed three precious points, boosting Roma’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
After a week dominated by off-field headlines for coach Jose Mourinho and former Juve playmaker Pablo Dybala, the Giallorossi claimed what could prove to be a huge victory.
Defeat will be a bitter pill to swallow for Massimiliano Allegri's Juve side after a performance in which it will feel it did enough to earn a point.
Moise Kean was sent off in the closing stages, less than a minute after coming on, for kicking out at Mancini.
Knowing victory would edge it above Milan and into the top four on goal difference, Roma sought to impose itself early on.
Yet Juventus was stubbornly defiant in front of a partisan crowd and did its best to take the initiative.
It was the Bianconeri that came closest to a breakthrough in the first half when Adrien Rabiot saw his header saved by Wojciech Szczesny in the 43rd minute.
Emboldened by the support from the stands, the host broke the deadlock eight minutes after the interval, with Mancini letting fly from distance with his right foot and giving Szczesny no chance.
Juan Cuadrado almost levelled matters on the cusp of the hour with a superb free-kick that struck the post.
Juve was unable to salvage a point and Kean was shown a straight red card for lashing out at Mancini to rub salt into the wound.
