De Rossi’s dream start goes on as Roma thrash Cagliari

Daniele De Rossi’s dream start as coach of Roma continues, after goals from Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paolo Dybala helped his side to a comfortable win over Cagliari.

Monday’s 4-0 triumph was De Rossi’s third straight in Serie A since taking over from Jose Mourinho in mid-January.

It lifted his side to fifth in the table, a point behind fourth-placed Atalanta in the final Champions League spot.

Pellegrini put Roma ahead early with a close-range stab from a corner for his third goal in three games.

The midfielder then turned provider, setting up Dybala who hammered home a second on 23 minutes.

The Argentine World Cup winner scored his second – and Roma’s third – from the penalty spot six minutes into the second half.

Dean Huijsen, a 19-year-old Dutch defender on loan from Juventus, got his first goal for the club when he headed home the fourth from a corner five minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

Pellegrini’s opportunist early strike marked the first time in his career he has scored in three consecutive games.

De Rossi, who replaced the divisive Mourinho last month can currently do no wrong for a home crowd that loved him during his 17 years at Roma as a player.

A big test awaits next weekend, though, when the Giallorossi take on leaders Inter Milan at the Stadio Olimpico.