AS Roma returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion on Monday night, dispatching Cagliari 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico thanks to a clinical brace from Dutch striker Donyell Malen. The victory, earned on February 9, 2026, was not only a much-needed morale boost for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side but also propelled the Giallorossi back into the thick of the Serie A top-four race, drawing them level on points with Juventus in fourth place.
Coming into this Matchday 24 clash, Roma found themselves under considerable pressure. A stuttering run of form had seen them collect just a single win from their last five league outings, including disappointing draws against Milan and Panathinaikos and a 1-0 defeat at Udinese on February 2. The injury crisis was biting hard: Paulo Dybala, Robinio Vaz, Mario Hermoso, Artem Dovbyk, Manu Koné, Evan Ferguson, and Stephan El Shaarawy were all sidelined, while Gianluca Mancini was forced to don a protective mask after recent surgery for a broken nose. The stakes were high, with Gasperini himself publicly questioning his future at the club if Champions League qualification slipped away. "If the club doesn’t qualify for the Champions League next season, perhaps Roma will need a managerial change," Gasperini hinted after the Udinese loss.
Yet, the Giallorossi came out with purpose and energy, determined to put recent woes behind them. The Stadio Olimpico crackled with anticipation as Roma fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation: Mile Svilar in goal; a back three of Mancini, N’Dicka, and Ghilardi; Celik and Wesley as wing-backs; Cristante and Pisilli anchoring midfield; and the attacking trio of Matías Soulé, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and the in-form Malen leading the line. Cagliari, riding high after three straight Serie A wins over Juventus, Fiorentina, and Verona, set up in a 3-5-2, with Elia Caprile in goal and a forward duo of Sebastiano Esposito and Turkish talent Semih Kılıçsoy.
The match began with Roma asserting their authority from the opening whistle. The hosts pressed high and controlled possession, pinning Cagliari deep in their own half. Roma’s intent was clear: attack early, keep the visitors under pressure, and capitalize on home advantage. The first real chance arrived when Caprile nearly fumbled a routine save, almost allowing Soulé to pounce. Moments later, Malen tested the Cagliari defense with a header that whistled just wide, signaling his intent for the evening.
Roma’s breakthrough came in the 25th minute. After a spell of sustained pressure, Malen found himself in the box, showing composure and class to chip the ball over Caprile for the opening goal. The Olimpico erupted as the Dutchman celebrated with teammates, his finish a testament to the quality that has made him Roma’s main attacking reference this season. "Goal for Roma! Donyell Malen produces a stunning finish in a match that had been controlled by the Giallorossi, finally turning dominance into reward," reported VAVEL’s live coverage.
From there, Roma continued to dictate the tempo. The midfield duo of Cristante and Pisilli snuffed out Cagliari’s attempts to build from the back, while Soulé and Pellegrini buzzed with creativity behind Malen. Cagliari, missing key players like Yerry Mina, Alessandro Deiola, Michael Folorunsho, Gennaro Borrelli, Mattia Felici, and Andrea Belotti, struggled to mount any meaningful attacks. Their best opportunity of the first half came from a speculative strike that failed to trouble Svilar.
The second half resumed with Roma still in the ascendancy. Cagliari showed more ambition, pushing higher up the pitch, but Roma’s organization and discipline kept them at bay. On 56 minutes, Gasperini made his first change, bringing on Bryan Zaragoza for Pellegrini to inject fresh legs and maintain intensity. The move paid off as Roma continued to create chances, with Malen narrowly missing out on a hat-trick after another dangerous header.
Roma’s dominance was rewarded again in the 64th minute. Matías Soulé orchestrated a slick move, feeding Zeki Celik down the right. Celik’s low cross found Malen in the six-yard box, and the striker made no mistake, slotting home his second of the night. The goal not only doubled Roma’s lead but also underlined Malen’s growing reputation as one of Serie A’s deadliest finishers. "Donyell Malen stays red-hot and scores a brilliant goal after arriving in the six-yard box from a perfectly weighted pass by Zeki Çelik that left him one-on-one with the keeper," VAVEL recounted.
Cagliari tried to respond, making attacking changes as Leonardo Pavoletti replaced Kılıçsoy and Idrissi came on for Esposito. Their best chance came when Sulemána unleashed a thunderous shot that rattled the crossbar, but luck was not on the visitors’ side. Roma, meanwhile, managed the closing stages with maturity. Gasperini introduced Neil El Aynaoui, Antonio Arena, and Lorenzo Venturino to see out the final minutes, while Zaragoza and Mancini received yellow cards as the match grew tense. Cagliari’s Idrissi was also booked in the dying moments.
The final whistle confirmed a well-deserved 2-0 victory for Roma. The win was significant not just for the three points, but for the manner in which it was achieved: a dominant performance, a clean sheet, and a striker in Malen who continues to deliver when it matters most. The Giallorossi’s defensive unit, marshaled by Mancini and N’Dicka, stood firm, while the midfield controlled proceedings from start to finish.
For Cagliari, the defeat halts their momentum but leaves them comfortably in mid-table, still 10 points clear of the relegation zone with 28 points from 24 matches. Coach Fabio Pisacane will look to regroup his squad, hoping the return of injured players can reignite their push for a top-half finish. Key man Sebastiano Esposito, with 3 goals and 4 assists this season, remains a bright spot for the Sardinian side.
Roma, meanwhile, move level with Juventus in fourth place, reigniting hopes of Champions League football next season. The result relieves some of the pressure on Gasperini and gives the capital club a timely boost ahead of a crucial run of fixtures. As the Olimpico faithful celebrated, the message was clear: Roma are back in the hunt, and with Malen leading the line, anything feels possible in the race for Serie A’s top four.