Serie A | Sassuolo 0-1 Roma: Dybala sends Giallorossi top

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated Oct 26, 2025 11:56 AM ET

Paulo Dybala’s first Serie A goal of the season proved enough to beat Sassuolo and send Roma to the top of the table alongside Napoli.

The Giallorossi had the opportunity to go joint top of the table, but had also lost three of their last four games, including Thursday’s 2-1 to Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League. Angelino was the only absentee, but Matias Soulé was rested, with Paulo Dybala used as a False 9 and Leon Bailey getting his first start. The Neroverdi had seven points from three rounds and brought Alieu Fadera into the trident attack, with ex-Roma man Nemanja Matic in midfield. Tarik Muharemovic, Yeferson Paz, Daniel Boloca and Edoardo Pieragnolo missed out.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It was an aggressive start from the hosts, as after a strong Aliou Fadera run from midfield, Kristian Thorstvedt got the header all wrong from seven yards. Mile Svilar then flew to palm away a deflected Fadera strike, but it was Roma who broke the deadlock.

Bryan Cristante surged forward on the Dybala lay-off and saw his effort parried by Arijanet Muric, but only into the path of La Joya to finish it off on the rebound. It was his first Serie A goal of the season.

Manu Koné charged down a powerful Sebastian Walukiewicz strike, and from the resulting corner Thorstvedt nodded wide when he should’ve left it for Filippo Romagna behind him.

Neil El Aynaoui’s effort was straight at Muric, who had to rush off his line to smother at Cristante’s feet after an inspired Dybala pass.

Bailey had his boot torn apart by a Josh Doig foul just outside the area, so had to finish the half with it wrapped in duct tape, while Dybala’s free kick hit the side-netting.

Sassuolo lost Romagna to injury, while Mario Hermoso replaced the disappointing Kostas Tsimikas and within 60 seconds had been booked for a raised elbow on Doig inches outside the area.

Zeki Celik stung the goalkeeper’s gloves at the near post on a Dybala lay-off, but Sassuolo saw Domenico Berardi forced off after a bizarre head injury when he crossed paths with Cristante and fell very awkwardly.

Lorenzo Pellegrini came on and within 120 seconds had almost doubled Roma’s lead, as his delicate dink beat the goalkeeper only to bounce off the upright on Artem Dovbyk’s assist.

Wesley could’ve rolled across for Dovbyk, but instead tested Muric himself at the near post, while the Brazilian stood up a cross for Zeki Celik’s header over the bar.

It was a strong ending to the game for Wesley, who also flashed a great right-foot finish across the face of goal to skim the back post.

The result remained open though, as Gianluca Mancini threw himself in the way of a Walid Cheddira angled drive at the near post in stoppages.

Pellegrini also threatened again with a right-foot curler from outside the box that Muric pushed round the far post with one glove.

Sassuolo 0-1 Roma

Dybala 16 (R)

26-10-2025 14:00 MatchDay 8 Mapei Stadium - Città del Tricolore

Sassuolo

Roma 0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

16'

Paulo Dybala 24' Gianluca Mancini Kristian Thorstvedt 34' Josh Doig 40' 2nd half

		47'		Mario Hermoso
Cristian Volpato

77'

Match statistic

41 Possession % 59 11 Total shots 15 1 Shots on target 8 7 Shots off target 6 3 Blocked shots 1 6 Corners 6 1 Offsides 1 18 Fouls 16 Sassuolo Roma

Starting lineups

Arijanet Muric Goalkeeper 19

Filippo Romagna Defender 39' 21 Jay Idzes Defender 3

Josh Doig Defender 6

Sebastian Walukiewicz Defender 20 Alieu Fadera Midfielder 81' 90

Ismaël Koné Midfielder 81' 42

Kristian Thorstvedt Midfielder 60' 18

Nemanja Matic Midfielder 99

Andrea Pinamonti Attacker 10

Domenico Berardi Attacker 60' 99

Mile Svilar Goalkeeper 5

Evan Ndicka Defender 23

Gianluca Mancini Defender 12

Konstantinos Tsimikas Defender 46' 43

Wesley Defender 87' 19

Zeki Celik Defender 4

Bryan Cristante Midfielder 66' 17

Manu Koné Midfielder 8 Neil El Aynaoui Midfielder 31

Leon Bailey Attacker 50' 21

Paulo Dybala Attacker

66'

Substitutes

16 Gioele Zacchi Goalkeeper 17 Yeferson Paz Defender 25

Woyo Coulibaly Defender 13 Stefano Turati Goalkeeper 24 Luca Moro Attacker 44 Edoardo Iannoni Midfielder 77 Nicholas Pierini Attacker 26 Cas Odenthal Defender 35 Luca Lipani Midfielder 22 Lorenzo Nyarko Goalkeeper 5

Fali Candé Defender 39' 7 Cristian Volpato Midfielder 60' 40

Aster Vranckx Midfielder 60' 9

Walid Cheddira Attacker 81' 45

Armand Lauriente Attacker 81' 92

Stephan El Shaarawy Attacker 35 Tommaso Baldanzi Midfielder 95

Pierluigi Gollini Goalkeeper 32

Devis Vásquez Goalkeeper 11

Evan Ferguson Attacker 61 Niccolò Pisilli Midfielder 87 Daniele Ghilardi Defender 24 Jan Ziolkowski Defender 66 Buba Sangaré Defender 22

Mario Hermoso Defender 46' 9

Artem Dovbyk Attacker 50' 7

Lorenzo Pellegrini Midfielder 66' 18

Matìas Soulé Attacker 66' 2