Pedro thunderbolt earns Roma derby win to end Lazio top-four hopes
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A long-range screamer from AS Roma substitute Pedro crowned a 2-0 Rome Derby win on Saturday that mathematically ended Lazio’s hopes of a top-four finish in Serie A.
Lazio have another two games to play before the season ends next Sunday, but the sixth-placed side are eight points behind Juventus in the fourth and final Champions League place.
Roma are six points behind Lazio in seventh place and can finish no higher, but they moved five points clear of Sassuolo, who face Parma on Sunday.
Roma players celebrate after winning the Italian Serie A soccer match between AS Roma and SS Lazio at the Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 15 May 2021. EPA-EFE/Riccardo Antimiani
Lazio started the stronger as Luis Alberto had a shot well saved by young goalkeeper Daniel Fuzato and Vedat Muriqi’s well-taken finish was ruled out for offside.
But Roma went ahead shortly before halftime when Edin Dzeko skipped past Lazio defender Francesco Acerbi to the byline and cut a pass back to Henrikh Mkhitaryan for a simple finish.
Pedro doubled their lead on the 78th minute with a superb individual goal as he dribbled past two defenders and fired a swerving shot into the bottom corner from outside the area.
Lazio’s night got even worse late on when Acerbi was shown a second yellow card for a shirt pull on Dzeko.
