Roma's Italian defender #23 Gianluca Mancini celebrates with fans after winning the Italian Serie A football match between AS Roma and Lazio on April 6, 2024 at the Olympic stadium in Rome. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)
Milan: Daniele De Rossi's Roma won their first local derby in more than two years and made sure of fifth spot in Italy's top flight for another week, five points ahead of Atalanta who are at Cagliari on Sunday and have another game in hand.
Serie A is leading the race for an extra spot in next year's Champions League, meaning a top-five finish could be enough for Roma to qualify for Europe's leading club competition for the first time since 2018.
Gianluca Mancini ensured Roma would have bragging rights in the capital city with a bullet header three minutes before half-time at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roma's supporters wave flags before the Italian Serie A football match between AS Roma and Lazio on April 6, 2024 at the Olympic stadium in Rome. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)
Italy defender Mancini thumped home his fifth goal of the season from Paulo Dybala's corner to give Roma a deserved win, after which both players jumped into the stands to celebrate with delirious fans.
"My heart's still thumping... I'm the happiest man in the world," said Mancini to DAZN.
"We hadn't won a derby for a long time so this is for them (the fans), they deserve it. The goal is a great feeling once the game is over but the important thing was making sure we got the points."
Former Roma captain De Rossi won his first Rome derby as coach at the first attempt after four without a win under his predecessor Jose Mourinho.
Nominal hosts Roma were unlucky not to win more convincingly as they had the better of the chances and Stephan El Shaarawy struck a great chance against the post just after half-time.
Roma's English forward #09 Tammy Abraham enters the pitch during the Italian Serie A football match between AS Roma and Lazio on April 6, 2024 at the Olympic stadium in Rome. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)
De Rossi was also boosted by the return of England international striker Tammy Abraham, who replaced Dybala with 11 minutes remaining to make his first appearance since tearing knee ligaments at the end of last season.
Lazio are nine points behind Roma in seventh and can be overtaken this weekend by Napoli, Fiorentina and Torino, who are at Empoli in Saturday's late match.
