Malen keeps firing as Roma’s perfect start takes them top

Talking point 1: Malen’s run gives Roma a reliable edge

Roma left Turin with a 2-0 Serie A victory over Torino on 14 September, preserving a flawless opening to the league campaign. Source 1Source 2 Malen supplied the breakthrough in the 40th minute, following up after his initial effort had been saved and converting the rebound. Source 1 It was another timely contribution in a match which had resisted Roma’s early pressure, with Matias Soule and Bryan Cristante both involved in chances before the opening goal arrived. Source 1 Malen has now scored six Serie A goals this season, making his finishing the clearest individual thread in Roma’s fast start. Source 2 The significance was not only in the scoreline but in the timing: the opener changed a tight contest before the interval and gave Roma a platform from which to manage the second half. Source 1

Talking point 2: A late Pisilli finish put the result beyond doubt

Roma had to wait until the 93rd minute to make the points safe, when Pisilli drove a low shot into the bottom corner for the second goal. Source 1Source 2 The move began when Gianluca Mancini won possession near the corner flag and found Pisilli with a cutback, turning a late turnover into a clinical finish. Source 1 That sequence gave the result a more emphatic shape, but it also underlined how little margin there had been for most of the contest. Source 1Source 2 Torino had opportunities of their own, with Mile Svilar making important saves to deny Rolando Mandragora, Giovanni Simeone and other efforts. Source 1 Roma therefore had both sides of a valuable away-win formula: a scorer who seized the decisive early moment and a late goal that removed any lingering uncertainty. Source 1Source 2

Talking point 3: The performance had substance as well as a scoreline

Roma’s win was built on 14 shots, five on target and 1.91 expected goals, despite having 47% possession. Source 4 Those numbers suggest that the visitors found worthwhile attacking positions without needing to dominate the ball for long stretches. Source 4 The clean-sheet element mattered, too, given the saves required from Svilar as Torino searched for a route back into the match. Source 1 Across the opening four Serie A fixtures, Roma have scored 12 goals, conceded one and kept three clean sheets, according to HFC football data. Source 3 That combination of output at one end and control at the other provides a stronger foundation than a perfect record alone, even if the season remains at an early stage. Source 3 The Torino match offered a compact example of it: early chances, a first-half lead, defensive interventions when required, and a late second goal. Source 1Source 2

Talking point 4: Four from four has changed the early table picture

The victory means Roma have won all four of their Serie A matches and sit at the top of the table. Source 1Source 2 It is a notable contrast with Torino’s position after the match, with the hosts 14th after recording only one league win so far this campaign. Source 2 Roma’s result was achieved away at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, which adds weight to the early sequence rather than merely extending it at home. Source 1Source 2 The table lead is built on a 100% winning record, while Malen’s six league goals have given the run an obvious attacking focal point. Source 2 The immediate question is whether Roma can translate that opening burst into a sustained challenge once the calibre and frequency of the fixtures increase. Source 2Source 5

Bonus point: Europe has already added another demand

Roma’s league run has unfolded alongside the start of their Champions League league-stage campaign. Source 6 Between their third and fourth Serie A victories, Roma drew 1-1 away to Fenerbahçe in the opening European fixture on 10 September. Source 6 That result does not alter the league table, but it illustrates that the perfect domestic start is being pursued amid a schedule already spanning competitions. Source 6 Managing those parallel demands will give further context to both the early defensive record and the scoring form that carried Roma past Torino. Source 3Source 6

The Read

Roma’s next match is a home Serie A fixture against Inter on 19 September at 16:00 UTC. Source 5 It is an immediate examination of the four-match winning run and of the balance shown at Torino, where Roma produced 1.91 expected goals while winning with less possession. Source 4Source 5 A fifth straight league victory would extend the current perfect start; whatever the outcome, the match will offer the next clear measure of how Roma’s early-season pace stands up. Source 1Source 2Source 5 For now, the facts are straightforward: Roma are top, their defence has conceded once in four league matches, and Malen’s sixth Serie A goal helped deliver the latest win. Source 2Source 3