VERONA, Italy, Nov 1, , 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Cristian Volpato shot Roma into
the top four of Serie A on Monday with a late strike and assist in a 3-1 win
at Verona which moved his team above Lazio a week before the Rome derby.

Jose Mourinho's team were level heading into the final two minutes at the
Stadio Bentegodi but 18-year-old Volpato met Nemanja Matic's low cross with a
perfect first time finish to put the away side ahead.

Australia-born Volpato then ensured Roma would take three points when he slid
in Stephan El Shaarawy to net a third in stoppage-time with a perfect through
ball.

"The manager called me up, I hadn't even warmed up or anything. I'm really
happy to have come, score and change the match," said a delighted Volpato
after his first appearance of the campaign.

Roma are a point ahead of Lazio and Inter Milan in fourth place, with the
clash against their local rivals, who will be without Ciro Immobile and
suspended Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, coming up on Sunday.

Nicolo Zaniolo tapped Roma level in first-half stoppage time after Pawel
Dawidowicz was sent off for the home side nine minutes before the break.

Dawidowicz was given a straight red card for a bad foul on Zaniolo nine
minutes after he had rolled ahead the hosts, who stay in the relegation zone
after their seventh defeat in a row.

Mourinho insisted that he was not interested in the Rome derby, a huge event
in the Italian capital which traditionally occupies fans for weeks
beforehand.

Roma need to beat Ludogorets on Thursday to make the knockout rounds of the
Europa League.

"When a manager starts thinking about a particular match which isn't the
upcoming one, it doesn't usually end well," Mourinho told DAZN.

Later on Monday, Monza lost 2-1 to Bologna in their first match since on-loan
Arsenal defender Pablo Mari was stabbed in a knife attack at an supermarket
just outside Milan.

Monza chief executive Adriano Galliani had asked for the match to be
postponed but instead Rafaelle Palladino's team will play and wear a special
shirt with the message "Come back soon Pablo".

Forward Andrea Petagna opened the scoring for the promoted hosts before
Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson and winger Riccardo Orsolini responded for
Bologna, who claimed their third league win of the season, inside the final
half an hour.