AS Roma vs Lazio Roma - Review and Highlights

ROME, November 16 ( Serie A )

Julio Baptista stopped the rot for AS Roma as his second-half goal sunk Lazio in a subdued city derby.

The Brazilian striker nodded in Francesco Totti's cross in the 50th minute to hand Roma their first win in Serie A since September 28.

Lazio suffered a blow in the 67th minute after Christian Ledesma was handed his marching orders following a double booking.

Roma also ended the game down to 10 men after Simone Perrotta was sent off three minutes from time.

The outcome has left Roma three points clear of the drop zone and 16 behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan after 12 games played.

Roma went into the encounter at the Stadio Olimpico having taken just one point in their previous five league games.

The Giallorossi were boosted by the presence of captain Totti, who has been bothered by a problematic knee but passed a late fitness test to make the starting 11.

Lazio, meanwhile, went into the clash looking for their fourth consecutive triumph.

Luciano Spalletti's Roma had the first chance of the game with Totti's header from Cristian Panucci's cross deflected by Ledesma for a corner.

Totti then tried his luck from the distance with his right-footed effort going wide and high.

Roma stepped up the pace and their efforts could have paid off in the 19th minute had goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo not made an instinctive save from Mirko Vucinic's flying header inside the box.

With Lazio unable to break Roma's well-placed defence, Mauro Zarate tried his luck from the distance but his central effort did not trouble goalkeeper Alexander Doni.

Midway through the first half, Zarate latched onto Cristian Brocchi's cross but nodded over the crossbar.

In the 34th minute, Vucinic fired just high over the crossbar while at the other end, Tommaso Rocchi's volley from Goran Pandev4s assist went narrowly wide.

Roma should have gone into the interval with a 1-0 lead but Vucinic, who played a one-two with Max Tonetto inside the area, missed the finishing touch.

Roma picked up where they left off after the re-start and their efforts were finally rewarded with Baptista4s powerful header towards the bottom-right corner beating Carrizo.

Lazio reacted and almost pulled level one minute later, but Zarate's blazing header was met by a fine save from Doni.

Despite playing with a man less after Ledesma's sending off, Lazio showed more determination and Rocchi's angled effort went high over the crossbar.

But Roma looked more deadly and in the 78th minute, Carrizo was forced to come off his line to anticipate Jeremy Menez who was ready to fire Roma's second of the evening.

Lazio continued to press forward in search of the equaliser and after Perrotta's sending off following a double booking, substitute Simone Inzaghi's header from Zarate's cross went high.

In the final minute Stephan Lichtsteiner nodded over the crossbar from a Zarate assist as Roma held on for the victory.

AS Roma vs Lazio Roma - 1 : 0

1:0 - 50' Julio Baptista