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Cesena vs Roma. Italian Serie A.

Dino ManuzziAttendance16,575.

Cesena 0

    Roma 1

    • D De Rossi (41st minute)

    Italian Serie A report: Roma win 1-0 at Cesena

    Daniele De Rossi celebrates
    Image: Daniele De Rossi celebrates

    Daniele De Rossi's first-half strike handed Roma all three points at relegation-threatened Cesena on Sunday night.

    The visitors, looking for their first Serie A win since February 8, took the lead at the Dino Manuzzi stadium in the 41st minute when De Rossi hit the back of the net for his first goal away from home in Italy's top flight since August 2013.

    The victory has kept Roma in second place but just one point clear of city rivals Lazio, who clinched their sixth straight victory with a 2-0 triumph over Hellas Verona.

    Juventus are 14 points clear of Roma at the top of the standings.

    Cesena, who had gone unbeaten in their previous three matches, are 19th and five points adrift of safety.

    The Giallorossi have been struggling in 2015. They lost 2-0 to Sampdoria last week in Serie A - their first home defeat in Serie A since May 2014 - before falling 3-0 at home to Fiorentina on Thursday to crash out of the Europa League.

    Roma coach Rudi Garcia, who has been under pressure with his team not playing well, fielded a weakened side with eight players out injured and midfield pair Seydou Keita and Miralem Pjanic out through suspension.

    Roma's Adem Ljajic had the first chance of the game in the third minute but his diagonal shot from 12 yards was saved by Cesena goalkeeper Nicola Leali.

    Leali was called on again to make a save to clear Salih Ucan's 30-yard attempt.

    Gervinho was close to giving Roma a 13th-minute lead when he got behind Adem Ljajic's pass but saw his right-footed attempt towards the far post kept out by Leali.

    Roma's attacking play paid off before the interval, though, when Ucan was unable to control Jose Holebas' cross from the left but De Rossi was behind him and drilled a 13-yard shot past Leali to put Roma in front.

    Cesena should have pulled level six minutes into the second half when Luka Krajnc fed Milan Djuric in the box but he struck the ball off target from a good position.

    In the 60th minute, Gervinho wasted a good chance to double Roma's lead when he sent his right-footed attempt from close range wide with only Leali to beat.

    Roma goalkeeper Morgan de Sanctis, on the other hand, had a relatively easy night.

    He made his first and only intervention in the 76th minute as he stretched to his right to clear Gregoire Defrel's hard-drive from 30 yards.

    The visitors held on for a win that has kept them in the second automatic qualifying spot for the Champions League heading into the international break.

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