ROME: AS Roma triumphed 2-0 against local rivals Lazio on Sunday to give Claudio Ranieri his biggest win since the veteran coach took charge of his boyhood club for the third time.

Lorenzo Pellegrini and Alexis Saelemaekers netted in eight first-half minutes which gave Roma the points in a fraught atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Ranieri’s team are up to 10th on 23 points, still 12 points behind Lazio who sit in the final Champions League spot but now have some breathing space between them and the relegation zone.

Six points separate Roma from Lecce, who sit just inside the bottom three and drew 0-0 with Genoa earlier on Sunday, as Ranieri slowly gets the capital club going back in the right direction.

“It’s so great to be able to make these fans happy,” said defender Gianluca Mancini, who did his post-match interview in a long coat after giving his shorts and shirt to jubilant supporters.

“Derbies are always a match apart, but we’re still only talking about three points, it’s not like we’ve won the league or anything.”

Roma were in such disarray when Ranieri became their third coach of the season in November that relegation was not beyond the realms of possibility.

But after an encouraging draw at AC Milan last weekend, Sunday’s display was another sign that a talented squad is starting to express itself, as well as being the 73-year-old’s fifth win against Lazio in as many matches.

Roma did not have it all their own way however and were camped in their own half after the break as Lazio pushed hard to get back into the match.

Valentin Castellanos and the impressive Nuno Tavares both went close to pulling a goal back while Loum Tchaouna’s scuffed finish looped onto the crossbar just before the hour mark.

Castellanos was then

sent off deep in stoppage time as Lazio ended a painful defeat with a pitchside scuffle instigated by Roma defender Mats Hummels exaggerating contact with the Argentine striker.

Pellegrini’s opener came nine minutes into his surprise start in Roma’s attack alongside Paulo Dybala and Artem Dovbyk as the 28-year-old had been out of favour and often booed by fans despite being a local boy and club captain.

Roma fan Pellegrini had been accused by angry supporters of being among a clutch of players who pushed for Daniele De Rossi to be sacked in September.

But he kissed the badge of his boyhood club after brilliantly whipping home his first league goal of the season following a lightning breakaway.

“On the bus to the ground he said he would score and he did. I’m really happy for him because he’s had a tough time,” said Saelemaekers.

“But he’s a big player for this team and we’re all behind him.”

Eight minutes later Roma took a surprise early two-goal lead through Saelemaekers, who after being put through by Paulo Dybala forced a fine save from Ivan Provedel and then tapped home the rebound.

Pellegrini was given a standing ovation when he was replaced by Stephan El Shaarawy midway through the second half, a sign that he has won supporters back to his side and that some normality is returning to Roma after largely awful opening half to the season.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2025