Cristante admits Roma beyond expectations, as Dovbyk trying to ‘do my job’ with 7th victory

epa11998033 Roma’s Artem Dovbyk celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and AS Roma, in Lecce, Italy, 29 March 2025. EPA-EFE/ABBONDANZA SCURO LEZZI

Artem Dovbyk said he is just trying to ‘do my job, which is to score goals,’ while Bryan Cristante admits Roma ‘didn’t expect’ to be in the running for a Champions League spot.

It was a hard-fought match to beat Lecce 1-0 at the Stadio Via del Mare, with plenty of scoring opportunities and wasteful finishing at both ends.

Dovbyk eventually struck with 10 minutes left on the clock, cutting inside to drill through Kialonda Gaspar’s legs at the near post with his left foot.

This proved enough to seal a seventh consecutive Serie A victory for Roma, who remain in the rush for a Champions League spot.

“It’s very tough match, we had chances in the first half too, but these are three important points for the team,” Dovbyk told Sky Sport Italia.

“I thank everyone who supported me, I am trying to do my job, which as a striker is to score goals.”

Dovbyk and Cristante feel Roma can keep going

Roma had not registered seven consecutive Serie A victories since their run of eight under coach Luciano Spalletti from January to March 2016.

“We knew it was difficult here, we had always struggled in recent years at Lecce, we wasted three or four really big chances, but the important thing is the result,” Cristante told Sky Sport Italia.

Considering the awful start they had to the campaign, sacking first Daniele De Rossi and then Ivan Juric, not even the most positive Roma fan would’ve seen them be in the thick of the battle for a top four finish.

“You don’t get a run of seven straight wins if you don’t have quality. Our first objective was to reach April still in the fight for Europe and we’ve done that,” added the midfielder.

“We perhaps didn’t expect to be in the running for the Champions League places, but this is the kind of streak we’ve not seen for a long time at Roma. Now we’re here, we’ve got to go for it.”