Ten-man Roma maintain perfect record

Roma have extended their record-breaking start in Serie A with a ninth successive victory this afternoon, winning 1-0 at Udinese despite finishing the match with 10 men.

The Giallorossi were without club captain Francesco Totti and Gervinho for the clash and nearly fell behind inside three minutes, as Luis Muriel struck the post with a fierce drive.

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Roma then went close through Daniele De Rossi, with Miralem Pjanic also flashing wide from range.

Just before the break Udinese once again came within inches of breaking the deadlock, but Leandro Castan's acrobatic clearance on the line stopped Gabriel Silva's chip finding the target as the first period finished goalless.

With the match finely poised Roma were reduced to 10 men on the hour-mark, as Brazilian full-back Maicon was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

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Francesco Guidolin's side pressed forward to make the host of their numerical advantage, but Antonio Di Natale and Giampiero Pinzi both missed the target with drives from distance.

Those misses were to prove costly as Roma snatched all three points through an unlikely source, as Michael Bradley's low effort found the target to keep Rudi Garcia's dream start at the Olimpico alive.