Edin Dzeko took his goal tally against Viktoria Plzen to eight in five games with a second consecutive hat-trick against the Czech champions as Roma got their Champions League campaign back on track with a 5-0 win.
After slipping to a 3-0 reverse against Real Madrid in their Group G opener, Eusebio Di Francesco's side took charge against Plzen who gave Dzeko the kind of space he has been craving all season as he netted two first-half goals.
The Bosnian striker scored a hat-trick against Plzen in the Europa League in 2016-17 and history repeated itself, but not before he provided a key contribution towards Roma's third, which was scored by Cengiz Under.
Justin Kluivert scored his first goal for the club, stroking the ball home after Under's effort was saved, before Dzeko rose to head home a corner in the dying moments of an excellent night for Di Francesco's men.
‘Managing Leeds? It was an option that appeared, but it wasn’t the right timing. I decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave the club I was at mid-season’: Premier League boss admits to turning down opportunity to replace Jesse Marsch in 2023
‘Ruben Amorim could have waited for Real Madrid and had a better chance to be successful – to have joined Manchester United, he must be convinced in his own ability’ Former Old Trafford coach’s verdict on new boss
