Dybala's hat-trick helps Roma cling to hope for Serie A top 4

Italy 2022 World Cup champion Paulo Dybala scored a hat-trick, including a superb curling effort from outside the box, to help Roma beat Torino 3-2 in round 26 of Serie A.

In the 40th minute, substitute defender Saba Sazonov kicked Sardar Azmoun's heel and Roma was awarded a penalty. Romelu Lukaku was on the bench so Dybala took the penalty kick. The Argentine striker shot hard to the right corner, against Vanja Milinkovic-Savic's prediction, opening the score for Roma.

In the 57th minute, receiving the ball from Bryan Cristante from a distance of nearly 30 meters, Dybala curled the ball with his left foot to the far corner, hitting the inside edge of the net, causing Milinkovic-Savic to fly as far as he could but still could not touch the ball.

Striker Paulo Dybala curled the ball from about 30 meters to score, raising the score to 2-1 for Roma in their 3-2 win over Torino in round 26 of Serie A on February 26. Photo: AFP

The 2022 World Cup winner capped off a brilliant day in the 69th minute. He played a one-touch combination with Lukaku, received the ball back in the box and shot with his left foot across the corner, completing his first Serie A hat-trick since October 2018. This was also Dybala's first hat-trick for Roma, the team he joined in the summer of 2022.

"It's been a long time since I scored a hat-trick and I really wanted it," Dybala told DAZN after the match. "I almost got a hat-trick against Cagliari but I was substituted. I wasn't looking for it like crazy, but it really happened and I'm happy."

After scoring the second goal, Dybala ran to the touchline to hug new coach Daniele De Rossi and celebrate the goal emotionally. The 30-year-old striker said that this goal came at a difficult time for Roma, as Torino had equalized 1-1 and forced Roma to change the way they played. He also joked that he would give the hat-trick ball to his mother to avoid making her angry.

In the summer of 2022, Dybala's contract with Juventus expired and he joined Roma after being persuaded by coach Jose Mourinho. In total, he scored 30 goals and 14 assists for Roma in 63 matches in all competitions, and has a contract until the summer of 2025. "I said when I first arrived that I felt like I had lived a different life in this city. I don't know what will happen, but I am enjoying every moment here with the fans and my teammates," Dybala said when asked about the future.

Dybala scored Roma's third goal in a 3-2 win over Torino in the 26th round of Serie A at the Olimpico stadium in Rome on February 26. Photo: arsoma.it — Dybala scored Roma's third goal in a 3-2 win over Torino in the 26th round of Serie A at the Olimpico stadium in Rome on February 26. Photo: *arsoma.it*

Dybala's hat-trick helped Roma to five wins in Serie A after replacing Mourinho with De Rossi. Under the Italian coach, Roma defeated Verona 2-1, Salernitana 2-1, Cagliari 4-0, lost to Inter Milan 2-4, beat Frosinone 3-0, Torino 3-2. This series of results helped Roma rise to sixth in Serie A, only four points behind fourth-placed Bologna, raising hopes of reaching the top four and thereby participating in the Champions League next season. Coach De Rossi also overcame Feyenoord on penalties to reach the Europa League round of 16 against Brighton.

Line-up:

Roma : Svilar, Mancini, Smalling (Huijsen 78), Ndicka, Kristensen, Pellegrini (Sanches 86), Paredes (Bove 65), Cristante, Angelino (Spinazzola 64), Dybala, Azmoun (Lukaku 65).

Torino : Milinkovic-Savic, Masina (Ivan Ilic 81), Lovato (Sazonov 14), Djidji, Lazaro (Ricardo Rodriguez 62), Gineitis (Linetty 80), Vlasic, Bellanova, Ricci, Zapata, Sanabria (Okereke 81).

Hong Duy

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