Roma’s Friendly Victory in Newport: New Signings Shine in 4-1 Win

FolioPitch.com – 05 August 2026 | In a much-needed boost to their pre-season campaign, AS Roma secured a 4-1 victory over Newport County in a friendly match held at Rodney Parade in Newport, Wales. The win marked a significant turnaround for the Italian giants, who had struggled in their previous friendly matches, drawing with Cannes and losing to Cardiff City.

The pressure was on for Roma’s coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, as club owner Ryan Friedkin was in attendance, adding to the stakes. However, Gasperini’s team rose to the challenge, with new signings Santiago Castro and Konstantinos Koulierakis making their mark on the game.

The match got off to a lively start, with Newport’s Biggins testing Roma’s goalkeeper, Mile Svilar, with a lob that grazed the crossbar. Doidge also had a chance to score, but Svilar was equal to the task.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 38th minute, when Bryan Cristante won the ball back in midfield and played a clever through-ball to Castro, who had made a run down the left flank. Castro then played a dummy, allowing Mario Hermoso to sweep in first-time from 12 yards and give Roma the lead.

The Romans continued to dominate, with Castro doubling the lead on the hour mark after Hermoso was tripped inside the penalty area. Svilar had to make a crucial save on Biggins soon after the restart, but Roma maintained their composure.

The third goal was a well-worked short corner, with Dybala’s cross nodded in by Koulierakis from close range. The Greek defender marked his debut with a goal, and Roma’s lead was now three goals to nil.

However, Newport refused to give up, and Matias Soulé came off the bench to score a precise left-foot finish around the goalkeeper’s glove into the far bottom corner. Despite Roma’s dominance, they failed to keep a clean sheet, as Kyle Cameron’s glancing header on a free kick squirmed in at the back post.

Roma’s 4-1 victory over Newport County was a much-needed boost to their pre-season campaign, with new signings Castro and Koulierakis making their mark on the game. The win marked a significant turnaround for the Italian giants, and they will look to build on this momentum as they head into their next friendly match.

In the end, Roma’s friendly victory in Newport with new buys on target was a resounding success, and they will look to carry this form into their next match. With new signings making an impact, Roma’s fans will be excited to see how they perform in the upcoming season.