Vasco: We showed a winning mentality

The Giallorossi captain, 18, spoke of his delight at scoring for the first time this season in a match in which the team implemented all of Alberto De Rossi's instructions over the course of the week.

"I'd been waiting a while for a goal," revealed the midfielder post-match. "We went out there with the winning mentality the coach wants from us. We always need to play football regardless of the result, to put into practice what we work on in training. Today (Saturday) it all came off."

The goal came during Frosinone's best spell of the match.

"We just needed to score a second. We were really going for it but just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net. The goal came from a free-kick and that's part of football too. Set-pieces are very important. Once we scored the second, the game went a lot better."

They have the best attack in the Group and yet you barely gave them a sniff...

"We showed real togetherness throughout the week and that showed today (Saturday). We barely afforded them anything apart from a few free-kicks in midfield."

Empoli lost and Roma are winter champions, having lost top spot for three games.

"Yes, but we shouldn't have dropped points against Crotone and at home to Pescara. Now Empoli have lost and we're pleased to be winter champions."

Has the captain's armband made you more responsible out there?

"The captain has more responsibility than anyone but we're all united and everyone here has a role. We all need to help create a team and we're doing that in the best way possible with every training session. We're like a family here."

You meet Inter in the Coppa straight after the winter break, before it's Empoli in the league.

"We have to start again on top form because every match is important. No one expected us to lose against Pescara so we have to make a fast start after the holidays."