Aleksandar Kolarov scored a magnificent free-kick as AS Roma bolstered their Champions League credentials in Italy with a 4-1 victory against ACF Fiorentina on Friday.
Edin Dzeko’s seventh goal of the season put Roma ahead on 19 minutes in Florence against a side without a win at home since Oct. 6.
Former Manchester City defender Kolarov curled in a terrific strike to double Roma’s lead before Milan Badelj pulled one back just past the half-hour.
Photo: AFP
Roma ensured they put some pressure on local rivals SS Lazio as Lorenzo Pellegrini’s first-time effort from a Dzeko lay-off restored their two-goal cushion on 73 minutes.
The Bosnian forward then released Nicolo Zaniolo just inside the Fiorentina half, allowing the Italy international to sweep in a late fourth after a long run.
Paulo Fonseca’s Roma have lost just once in Serie A since late September and a fourth win in five moved them six points clear of Cagliari in the race for the final Champions League spot.
Photo: EPA-EFE
BUNDESLIGA
AP, BERLIN
Borussia Dortmund let a lead slip for the second consecutive game as TSG 1899 Hoffenheim scored two late goals to win 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Friday.
Dortmund, who twice dropped a lead in allowing RB Leipzig to draw 3-3 on Tuesday, were again left to rue mistakes after Mario Gotze gave the visitors an early lead.
Sargis Adamyan equalized in the 79th minute and set up Andrej Kramaric for the winner in the 87th.
It was the ninth game from 17 so far in which Dortmund have dropped points and it will cast a shadow over Lucien Favre’s team as they goes into the Bundesliga’s winter break.
Dortmund, who had declared a title challenge before the season, remained fourth, four points off the lead having played a game more and with the prospect of being overtaken by Schalke 04, who were to play SC Frieburg after press time last night.
“We really needed three points here,” Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl said. “We’re bitterly disappointed.”
Gotze made the most of his rare start with the opening goal in the 17th. Much of it was down to Achraf Hakimi, who outpaced a Hoffenheim defender to reach Thorgan Hazard’s through ball and cut it back for Gotze. Sebastian Rudy’s attempt to clear off the line came too late.
Robert Skov struck the crossbar with a free-kick in the closest Hoffenheim came in the first half.
Dortmund missed a number of chances, but seemed to have the game under control until they paid the price for becoming increasingly passive late on.
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