soccer

Robinio Vaz Powers Roma To Victory Against Lecce

Yahoo Sports

The young French forward's debut goal got Roma back on the right foot in their 1-0 win over Lecce.

Roma's French forward #78 Robinio Vaz snaps a selfie at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between AS Roma and Lecce at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on March 22, 2026. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Survival was the name of the game for today’s match, and thanks to Roma’s attacking corps, Roma survived for another week in their fight for Champions League football qualification. After weeks of drift and painful losses in both Serie A and the Europa League, the Giallorossi arrived at the Olimpico in need of a simple win.

They got one, just barely, and almost entirely because of one moment that broke a game otherwise defined by control without consequence. The moment that temporarily saved Roma’s CL hopes belonged to newcomer Robinio Vaz. Just before the hour mark, Vaz found space and finished with decisiveness, scoring his first goal for his new club.

That ability is something that only Donyell Malen has shown for the Giallorossi in 2026, but thankfully, Vaz’s perfect alignment of timing, positioning, and composure was enough to tilt the match. For a team still searching for reliable creators and a consistent end product, that moment was a breath of fresh air and a signal that the Giallorossi aren’t dead yet. The broader shape of the match followed a now-familiar script.

Roma dominated possession, dictated territory, and limited Lecce to limited chances on goal. The passing sequences often circled the final third without resolution, and clear chances remained rare. Even after going ahead, Roma never quite found the second goal that would have killed the match, leaving a narrow margin that has too often turned into headaches in recent weeks.