Opinion: Our four best Serie A goals this season

Roma scored 77 goals in the 2019-20 Serie A season, their most in a single league campaign for three years.

Those goals came from 18 different players - with four own goals completing the tally. Edin Dzeko led the way with 16 goals in the league, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Aleksandar Kolarov also among the team’s highest scorers.

Along the way, there were many memorable strikes.

These are the four I have picked out as the best of the bunch...

Got a different opinion? Click here to vote for your Goal of the Season in Serie A!

Justin Kluivert v Udinese (A)
30th October 2019

One of the key cornerstones of Paulo Fonseca’s philosophy since taking over as Roma head coach has been to get his side playing attractive, possession-based football.

The peak demonstration of this came back in October, in the 4-0 win away at Udinese.

Roma’s third goal that day was a move that started just inches away from their own defensive touchline, and ended in the back of the Udinese net.

Gianluca Mancini started it off, confidently playing a one-two with Aleksandar Kolarov to get out of the box, before feeding it into Edin Dzeko. The Bosnian had shown his willingness to drop deep and help his teammates out, one of the factors that make him such a crucial part of the Roma equation.

Dzeko then played it inside to Javier Pastore, who carried the ball into the opposition half at pace.

Pastore then threaded the ball between two opponents and through to Justin Kluivert on his left, who wrong-footed the last defender before picking out the bottom corner of the goal.

The beauty of this goal came from the entire passage of play, but it required a great finish from a tight angle as well – and that’s exactly what Kluivert provided.

Roma had dominated the entire territory to create the chance, and finished it off in style.

Edin Dzeko v Sampdoria (H)
24th June 2020

In Roma’s first game back after the lockdown, they found themselves 1-0 down to Sampdoria – before Edin Dzeko stepped up to turn the game around.

The Roma captain scored a pair of volleys – one from either foot, after being set up by Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante respectively – to give his side the win.

Given that it was on his weaker foot, and that he struck the ball when it was slightly higher off the ground, the first goal was arguably the better of the two.

Pellegrini – who had only just come on as a substitute – read Dzeko’s intentions perfectly. The Rome-born midfielder chipped the ball over the defence after noticing a slight forward movement from his striker.

Dzeko latched onto it, and even though he was outside the line of the post, managed to swing the ball back inwards – and on course for the top corner.

Dzeko scored more league goals than any other Roma player in 2019-20, and Pellegrini provided the most assists, so it was fitting that they combined their talents to such effect for an important goal.

It was a brilliant moment, with both assist and goal showing great awareness and instinct from the pair involved.

Jordan Veretout v Parma (H)
8th July 2020

Jordan Veretout proved to be an instant hit in the Roma midfield after joining from Fiorentina last summer.

The Frenchman has developed a reputation for being clinical from the penalty spot – but towards the end of the season, he sent a reminder of what he could do from open play as well.

With Roma drawing at home to Parma, Veretout was teed up by the man who had scored Roma’s earlier goal that day, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, in the middle of the opposition half.

Driving into the space in front of him, as fans have come to expect from the dynamic 27-year-old, Veretout had one thing on his mind – to go for goal.

From outside the box, Veretout spotted his opportunity, and let fly with a powerful effort. It was an efficient strike; the ball curling and dipping at vicious speed as it headed for goal.

The goalkeeper had no chance. Veretout had picked out the far corner, well beyond his reach. It ensured Roma went on to win the match, kick-starting their eight-game unbeaten run at the end of the season.

If the goal looked good from a side-on angle, then watching a replay from behind Veretout emphasised just how impressive it was.

The midfielder had managed to curl it around the defender in front of him, arching it beyond the post at first before it swung back in.

It was actually Veretout’s first goal from open play of the season, but it was a clear sign of what he is capable of.

Nicolo Zaniolo v SPAL (A)
22nd July 2020

The serious injury that Nicolo Zaniolo suffered against Juventus in January was a huge blow to Roma. And while sympathy would have been extended to the player whatever the circumstances behind it, the fact that it came after such a bright spell of play made it feel even more agonising.

Zaniolo had dribbled half the length of the pitch, before running out of room just outside the box, collapsing to the ground.

Fast forward to the resumption of Serie A, though, and Zaniolo had recovered. It gave him the opportunity to finish what he had started.

Making his fifth substitute appearance since his return, Zaniolo entered the action against SPAL in July with Roma already having built up a dominant lead. But he would soon increase it further in the most special manner.

Receiving the ball deep in his own half from Chris Smalling, Zaniolo turned and began to drive through SPAL’s spine. Beating off challenges from nearly half the opposing team, the Italian youngster did what he does best, gliding forwards with confidence.

As he reached the edge of the box, there may have been nervous flashbacks to what had happened against Juventus six months earlier. But this time, there was a happy ending.

The 21-year-old cut the ball back onto his stronger side to wrongfoot his two remaining opponents, before expertly dispatching it into the top corner.

Nicolo Zaniolo was back.


Follow Samuel Bannister on Twitter: @SamBanno1