Serie A: Roma‘s problems increase with 4-1 loss at promoted Genoa

Roma had a poor start to the season but had thought it had turned things around with a 7-0 win over Empoli, although it followed that up with a 1-1 draw at Torino.

Roma’s head coach Jose Mourinho speaks to Roma’s Romelu Lukaku, right, and Rasmus Kristensen during a Serie A match between Roma and Empoli. | Photo Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Roma’s problems increased on Thursday as it was humiliated 4-1 at promoted Genoa in Serie A.

Mateo Retegui scored again for Genoa and there were also goals for Albert Guðmundsson, Morten Thorsby and Junior Messias in the team’s first home win of the season.

Bryan Cristante scored Roma’s sole goal and Jose Mourinho’s side has just one win in its opening six league matches to leave it 16th in the table with just five points. Genoa has two points more after its first home win of the season.

The whole Roma team and Mourinho gathered in front of the traveling fans at the end of the match.

Roma had a poor start to the season but had thought it had turned things around with a 7-0 win over Empoli, although it followed that up with a 1-1 draw at Torino.

However, it got off to the worst possible start when Guðmundsson fired Genoa in front in the fifth minute.

Cristante headed Roma level in the 22nd but Retegui restored Genoa’s lead with a delightful team goal on the stroke of halftime. Guðmundsson turned several Roma players before crossing for Thorsby, who backheeled it to Retegui to control the ball and then smash it into the back of the net It was Retegui’s fifth goal in Italian soccer since the Argentina-born Italy international joined Genoa in the offseason.

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Romelu Lukaku thought he had leveled again for Roma with his fourth goal in five matches since joining from Chelsea but his strike was ruled out for offside.

Thorsby all but sealed the win with a 74th-minute header before Messias added to Roma’s misery nine minutes from time. It was both players’ first goals for Genoa.

WASTEFUL FIORENTINA Fiorentina dominated against Frosinone but was made to pay for its profligacy as it was held to a 1-1 draw.

Fiorentina could have moved level with third-place Juventus with a win and seemed on course when Nicolás Iván González headed his team in front in the 19th minute.

But it wasted numerous chances and Matías Soulé leveled in the 70th for Frosinone, which is enjoying an impressive start to life back in Serie A and has only lost one match.

Monza and Bologna both had goals disallowed in a 0-0 draw. Bologna finished the match with 10 men after Alexis Saelemaekers was shown a yellow card late on for dissent and then immediately given a second and sent off after sarcastically applauding the referee.