Roma ended a run of disappointing results with victory over CSKA Sofia to register their first points in Group E of the Europa League.
Claudio Ranieri got the result he was after from his Roma players.
The win was secured with two goals in three first-half minutes from Stefano Okaka Chuka and Simone Perrotta, giving the Giallorossi the victory Ranieri had demanded following succesive draws in Serie A and defeat to FC Basle in their first European outing.
It ! took Roma just a minute to get their first shot away, Alessio Cerci getting on the end of Okaka Chuka's cross but sending his shot sailing over the crossbar.
The home continued to get slightly the better of possession, twice forcing corners which, first John Arne Riise and then Simone Perrotta failed to capitalise on.
Okaka Chuka ended the stalemate after 20 minutes when he collected a pass from Marco Motta inside the area and fired beyond Ivan Karadzhov to put Roma in front.
That breakthrough opened the game up and it took just another three minutes for a second goal to follow.
Perrotta was the scorer this time, turning home David Pizarro's left-wing cross from six yards.
CSKA struggled to muster a response to the quickfire double and, with Roma content to protect the lead, another spell of consolidation followed.
Mirko Vucinic attempted to change that six minutes before half-time, moving into space on the right of the penalty box ! but screwing a pass from Pizarro wide.
Ivan Stoyanov wa! s also o ff target with a rare CSKA opportunity, skying from 20 yards.
With three minutes left before the interval, Okaka Chuka attempted an audacious third, but his overhead kick did not have enough power and was easily caught by Karadzhov.
Perrotta got the second period off to a promising beginning for the home side when played in Daniele de Rossi, who headed wide two minutes after the restart.
De Rossi tried his luck from long-range soon after but had no better luck.
The standard in the final third was by now rapidly diminishing, with Kosta Yanev failing to beat defender Nicolas Burdisso with his shot and Cerci shooting tamely for Roma.
The game descended into a series of fouls and free-kicks in the last quarter, interrupted only by Ivan Ivanov headed attempt five minutes from time.
