Two goals from Stephan El Shaarawy have helped Roma run out 3-0 winners over Chelsea in their Champions League fixture at the Stadio Olimpico this evening.
The winger opened the scoring with just 39 seconds on the clock and, after the Italian international had doubled his tally later in the first half, Diego Perotti completed the scoring just past the hour mark to take the Serie A side to the top of Group C.
However, while Chelsea drop to second after extending their dismal run in Italy to five defeats in six games, the Premier League side only require one win to qualify for the last 16 after Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Qarabag.
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Chelsea could have opened the scoring after just 20 seconds but Pedro failed to make the most of a chance when through on goal, and Roma only needed 19 more seconds to take the lead at the other end.
Edin Dzeko's flick was only intended to keep the pressure on Chelsea, but the ball fell invitingly to El Shaarawy who lashed home a half-volley into the top corner from 20 yards out.
Moments later, Eden Hazard could have equalised after being played in down the left, but the Belgian winger failed to get the ball out of his feet and his shot went too close to Alisson.
Chelsea were generally having the better of the play but their end product was poor, with two shots from Hazard again been sent into Alisson's hands and Alvaro Morata drilling a glaring close-range opportunity high over the crossbar.
With nine minutes of the half remaining, Chelsea allowed their hosts to double their advantage as former Roma man Antonio Rudiger let the ball to run through to El Shaarawy, who made no mistake when flicking the ball past Thibaut Courtois from 12 yards out.
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Antonio Conte's men began to struggle but just before the break, Marcos Alonso saw a curling effort well saved by Alisson, before Tiemoue Bakayoko directed a free header wide of the post from eight yards after meeting a corner.
Those chances would have given Conte encouragement ahead of the restart but throughout the second half, Chelsea were second best as Dzeko started to become more influential in attack.
After flicking wide from a cross, the Bosnian then drilled a left-footed effort high over the crossbar, but it was not long before the home side's lead was extended through Perotti, who found the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
Morata dragged a low shot wide for Chelsea but that was as good as it got for the ineffective Spaniard before he was eventually hauled off by Conte.
During the closing quarter of the game, it became a case of how many would Roma score with Dzeko holding off three players before teeing up Perotti, who blazed over the bar from 14 yards out.
Radja Nainggolan forced Courtois into a fine save to his right from distance, before the goalkeeper pulled off a remarkable block to prevent Kostas Manolas's header from finding the back of the net after the Greek international had gotten free from a corner.
Chelsea managed to keep the damage to three, but Conte will be demanding considerable improvements from his team ahead of the visit of Manchester United at the weekend.
Darren Plant
