Roma 1-0 Cagliari: Debut delight for Sergio Oliveira

Oliveira, just days removed from completing a loan move to the Italian capital, stepped up to take a penalty midway through the first half - converting it with aplomb to ultimately confirm victory for Jose Mourinho's side.

There were other chances to make the game more comfortable - and it became somewhat frantic in the closing stages, as Cagliari hit the crossbar - but in the end a clean sheet was enough to secure a first win of 2022.

Thrown straight into the starting XI by Mourinho, a warm-up injury for Lorenzo Pellegrini only made things more complicated for Oliveira and his new teammates. But they rose to the occasion, grinding out a vital victory in a solid all-round display.

Jordan Veretout, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicolo Zaniolo all had good chances to get on the scoresheet, as Felix Afena-Gyan proved a thorn in the Cagliari side throughout.

The lack of a second goal heightened the tension in the closing stages, but Roma rode their luck and ultimately saw out the contest.

The Giallorossi are back in action at the same venue on Thursday, as Lecce visit in the Coppa Italia.

ROMA 1-0 CAGLIARI

GOALSCORER: Sergio Oliveira (33' p.)

ROMA (4-3-3): Rui Patricio; Maitland-Niles (Keramitsis), Mancini, Kumbulla, Vina; Sergio Oliveira, Veretout (Bove), Mkhitaryan; Zaniolo (Karsdorp), Abraham, Afena-Gyan (Shomurodov)

CAGLIARI (3-5-2): Cragno; Goldaniga, Altare (Gagliano), Carboni; Zappa, Marin, Deiola, Pereiro (Nandez), Dalbert (Lykogiannis); Joao Pedro, Pavoletti