Roma 5-2 Benevento: Match report, reaction and key statistics

The Turkey international scored twice in the second half to take the game away from the struggling visitors - who had taken an unlikely lead at the Stadio Olimpico through Guilherme.

Federico Fazio equalised to ensure the Giallorossi were not behind at the break, before Dzeko put Eusebio Di Francesco's side in front with a powerful header.

Cengiz provided the assist for that Dzeko goal and then took over himself - firing home emphatically from a Diego Perotti lay-off for his first goal at the Olimpico, and then adding a second soon after with a beautiful curling strike.

Gregoire Defrel scored from the penalty spot in added time to round off the performance.

A night that initially threatened embarrassment for the Giallorossi ended with plenty of positives -as Cengiz continued his fine recent form and Defrel (after being given the penalty responsibility by Edin Dzeko in a fine show of team spirit) grabbed his first goal for the club.

Fans were perhaps fearing the worst after forward Guilherme's deflected strike, at least until Fazio equalised emphatically with a header from Aleksandar Kolarov's inswinging cross.

Roma finally took the lead early in the second half through Dzeko, who delivered a powerful header after great work down the right from Cengiz. Four minutes later it was the winger scoring inside the box, and soon after he put the game out of reach with a sumptuous curling strike.

Moments later Benevento dragged a goal back through Brignola, but a comeback was never on the cards as Roma climbed back up to fourth in the Serie A standings.

Team selection

With Radja Nainggolan and Lorenzo Pellegrini both suspended and Daniele De Rossi recovering from injury, it was Gerson who has received the nod in midfield alongside Kevin Strootman.

In attack, Edin Dzeko led the line ahead of Diego Perotti - making his first start in over a month after overcoming injury - in a central role behind him and Cengiz Under and Stephan El Shaarawy operating from the flanks.

Key moments

FIRST HALF

7' - Goal. Benevento lead. Guilherme hits a deflected shot that creeps inside the far post. 0-1.

9' - El Shaarawy's shot from a tight angle is parried away by Puggioni.

15' - Good chance: Dzeko feeds Cengiz on the right and then runs into the box to meet the winger's cross ... but Puggioni makes the diving stop.

20' - Dzeko's header from a corner is blocked as it heads towards goal, and from the rebound El Shaarawy lashes a powerful shot narrowly wide.

26' - GOAL! 26' - THE EQUALISER! Fazio meets Kolarov's inswinging free-kick and powers his header low to Puggioni's right! Get in! 1-1.

31' - Close again! Cengiz's deep corner is met by El Shaarawy at the far post, but he cannot quite steer his header on target!

41' - El Shaarawy gets in behind the defence, but his powerful strike is from a tight angle and Puggioni is able to make the stop. Manolas heads wide from the resulting corner.

See more images in our dedicated match gallery.

SECOND HALF

47' - Edin Dzeko meets a Kolarov corner inside the six-yard box but his header floats narrowly wide.

59' - GOAL! ROMA LEAD! Get in! Cengiz shows his speed to beat his man and get to the byline down the right, and his inviting cross is met powerfully by Dzeko who heads home off the underside of the crossbar! 2-1!

63' - GOAL! CENGIZ! An assist one minute, and then a goal soon after! Perotti cuts the ball back inside the box and Cengiz slots it home with conviction for his first goal at the Olimpico! 3-1!

68' - Dzeko rises highest to meet another Kolarov corner, but his header is always going over the crossbar.

75' - GOAL! ANOTHER FOR THE YOUNG TURK! Cengiz cuts inside onto his left foot, and unleashes a beautiful curling strike that nestles perfectly in the far corner. Two goals for him tonight! 4-1!

76' - Goal for Benevento. Brignola cuts the deficit with a finish from close range. 4-2.

85' - Puggioni steps in to thwart Defrel just as it appeared Dzeko had played the forward in perfectly...

90' - Handball! Penalty for Roma!

90'+2 - GOAL! No mistake from Gregoire Defrel, who sends the goalkeeper the wrong way and converts off the inside of the post. He's off the mark! 5-2!

Key match statistics

See more game statistics in our dedicated match centre.

Social media reaction

Roma reaction

“I asked after [the penalty] a bit and the guys gave me the ball without any debate.“It was a really nice gesture from them all. I’m happy: even if it was our fifth goal and it came from the penalty spot, for the confidence and everything else it was important to score.”

- Gregoire Defrel

"I'm pleased that my big players are changing games. Sometimes individual moments are just as necessary as team moves. His movement was key in scoring the goal. We were doing similar things before as well, but we'd hit the ball into the stands or otherwise fail to convert our many opportunities. Cengiz [Under] did well tonight; mentally he's in a great place. He managed to convert everything that fell to his feet."

- Eusebio Di Francesco

What's next?

The Giallorossi are back in action on Saturday, as they travel to Trieste to face Udinese.

They then travel to Ukraine for next Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg meeting with Shakhtar Donetsk.

ROMA 5-2 BENEVENTO

Goalscorers: Fazio (26'), Dzeko (59'), Cengiz (63', 75'), Defrel (90' p.); Guilherme (6'), Brignola (76')

Roma: Alisson; Florenzi, Manolas, J. Jesus, Kolarov; Gerson, Strootman; Cengiz (De Rossi), Perotti (Schick), El Shaarawy (Defrel); Dzeko.

Benevento: Puggioni; Letizia, Djimsiti, D’Alessandro, Viola; Costa, Venuti, Sandro; Djuricic, Guilherme, Brignola.