• Roma defeat Empoli 2-1 to move up to fifth in Serie A table.
• Tammy Abraham scores the game-winning goal for the away team.
• Roma are now level on points with Napoli, Atalanta and AC Milan at the top of the table.

Roma defeated Empoli 2-1 on Monday, moving them a point behind a trio of teams in first place in Serie A with Tammy Abraham scoring the game-winning goal.

Following Abraham’s close-range header of Paulo Dybala’s cross in the 71st minute, Roma are now fifth, only below Napoli, Atalanta, and AC Milan.

The outstanding Dybala put the away team ahead in the 17th minute with a superbly directed drive after having earlier struck the post. The away team entered the game on the heels of two disappointing losses to fourth-place Udinese and Ludogorets.

“We know it was going to be tough, coming into this we lost two games before so we needed this for our confidence. But we’re happy to win,” Sky Sport Italia said Abraham.

“I need to keep learning and improving. I’m coming off the back of an injury so I’m still getting my fitness back a little bit but I’m happy to score and help the team as much as possible.”

Two minutes before halftime, Filippo Bandinelli expertly responded to shoddy Roma defending by heading in a cross from Petar Stojanovic, saving Jose Mourinho’s team from yet another defeat.

Empoli missed opportunities through Martin Satriano and Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro and generated chances when Akpa Akpro was sent off in the closing minutes, so a draw would not have been flattering.

But Abraham’s second goal of the year, coupled with Lorenzo Pellegrini’s missed penalty with ten minutes left, was just enough to secure the three points.

On Thursday, Roma will play home to HJK in the Europa League before going to an in-form Atalanta for their penultimate game before the current month’s international break.

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