Roma beat Arezzo 3-1 in a friendly as Dzeko celebrates new deal with the club

Edin Dzeko celebrated his new contract with a goal, as Roma beat Arezzo 3-1 in a friendly with Diego Perotti and Justin Kluivert also on target.

The Giallorossi played their final pre-season friendly away to Arezzo and used practically a full-strength XI, with Cengiz Under, Nicolò Zaniolo and Perotti supporting hitman Dzeko, fresh from his surprise contract extension.

Alessandro Florenzi and Arezzo forward Walid Cheddira went close early on, while Dzeko saw his goal ruled offside and Cengiz Under’s scorcher from distance hit the upright. Perotti had scored on the rebound, but was in an offside position.

Zaniolo was brought down straight after the restart and Perotti converted the penalty to give Roma the lead.

It didn’t last long, as Nicolò Belloni also scored from the spot just three minutes later after Gianluca Mancini’s shirt-tug on Cheddira.

Dzeko was sent clear by Zaniolo only to be denied by the goalkeeper one-on-one, but moments later he did find the back of the net with a left-foot angled drive.

Arezzo came very close to an equaliser, as Giuseppe Caso’s strike cannoned off the crossbar and Nicolò Bruschi almost made the most of a Lorenzo Pellegrini error.

However, substitute Kluivert made it 3-1 late on, pouncing for the tap-in after a fine save on Mirko Antonucci, set up by Davide Santon.