Juventus hit the woodwork three times in the capital but it was Roma that claimed all three points. The game's only goal was scored by Gianluca Mancini on 53 minutes.
Adrien Rabiot, in the closing seconds of the first half, Juan Cuadrado from a free kick and Mancini again hit the post as Juve sought an equaliser in vain.
THE MATCH
In front of a sold-out Stadio Olimpico, Juventus took the game to the hosts, but Roma had no intention to allow Juve a route to goal. In fact, after a flicked effort by Dušan Vlahović on four minutes brought the first save from Rui Patricio. The Portuguese keeper wouldn’t be called on again until the final four minutes of the half from a long-range drive from Manuel Locatelli.
In between, both sides packed midfield, denying their opponents space. When Juve had the chance to hit on the counter attack, hesitation at the crucial moment allowed the home team to recover. First, Ángel Di María took one touch too many in space at the edge of the area. Nicolò Fagioli did likewise from an interesting position.
At the other end, Paulo Dybala attempted a shot from the edge of the area, which forced Wojciech Szczęsny to look sharp, diving to his right.
Then, just as half time was approaching, Juve came so close to the breakthrough. Danilo flighted in a deep cross, which was met by Adrien Rabiot. The midfielder’s header appeared goal bound but Rui Patricio with the slightest of touches deflected the ball onto the post.
Although the second half started in the same fashion as the first, with Juve managing possession, again the Bianconeri lacked precision in the final pass.
Then eight minutes after the restart Roma took the lead. Gianluca Mancini was given time to take aim before firing an unstoppable shot low into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
A minute later Juan Cuadrado made a recovery tackle to stop Leonardo Spinazzola in his tracks when bearing in on goal.
Juve regrouped but were thwarted in their search for the equaliser by the frame of the goal, not once but twice.
Five minutes after going behind, Cuadrado stepped up to take a free kick. His curling effort struck the outside of the post. Vlahović then read a back-header but just couldn’t reach the ball before it bounced into the hands of Rui Patricio. Soon after, the Roma keeper made the save of the game, with a one-handed stop to keep out an effort from distance from Di María.
Juve never relented and forced corner after corner. From one of those set pieces they hit the post again - or rather Mancini almost turned the ball into his own net from close range, saved by the upright.
The sending off of Moise Kean 40 seconds after his introduction did little to help the cause but Juve still had one last chance, when the ball broke to Danilo at the height of the penalty spot in the final minute of stoppage time. The number six couldn’t repeat his goal scoring touch from the derby, however, and his shot was saved on the line by Rui Patricio.
Immediately after, the referee blew the final whistle, which signalled a fifth league defeat of the season for the Bianconeri.
ROMA 1-0 JUVENTUS (HT: 0-0)
SCORER: 53’ Mancini
ROMA: Rui Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Zalewski (63′ Karsdorp), Cristante, Matic, Spinazzola; Pellegrini (85′ Belotti), Wijnaldum (73′ Bove); Dybala (73′ Abraham). Subs not used: Boer, Svilar, Llorente, Celik, Kumbulla, Camara, Volpato, El Shaarawy. Coach: Mourinho.
JUVENTUS: Szczęsny; Danilo, Bremer, Alex Sandro (45′ Bonucci); Cuadrado (89′ Kean), Fagioli (59′ Chiesa), Locatelli (76′ Paredes), Rabiot, Kostic (76′ Pogba); Di Maria; Vlahovic. Subs not used: Pinsoglio, Perin, Gatti, Rugani, Miretti, Barrenechea, Soulé, Iling-Junior. Coach: Allegri.
REFEREE: Maresca
BOOKINGS: 31′ Locatelli, 33′ Matic, 57′ Cristante, 63′ Spinazzola, 75′ Kostic
SENDING OFF: 90’ Kean