GENOA, Italy (Interstat) — Substitute Evan N’Dicka delivered a stunning and decisive performance off the bench, orchestrating a comeback victory for Genoa over AS Roma in a Serie A match Sunday at Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris.

In a contest defined by tactical shifts and impactful substitutions, the home side emerged with a 2-1 win, defying pre-match projections that heavily favored them. Interstat’s game simulator had forecast a 1-1 draw, while its ELO rating system gave Genoa a 76.90 percent probability to win outright.

The match’s narrative turned entirely on the introduction of N’Dicka in the second half. AS Roma had controlled long stretches of the first half, but the game remained scoreless and increasingly fractious. The opening 45 minutes produced four yellow cards, with Roma’s Bryan Cristante and Genoa’s Patrizio Masini among those booked.

The deadlock was broken 10 minutes after the restart, but against the run of play. It was N’Dicka who struck first, firing home in the 55th minute to give the visiting Roma a surprising 1-0 lead. The goal seemed to confirm the visitors’ growing dominance.

Genoa manager Alberto Gilardino’s response proved inspired. He introduced forward Vitinha and midfielder Donyell Malen shortly after falling behind, seeking to spark his attack. The moves paid immediate dividends. Just five minutes after Roma’s goal, Malen found the equalizer, tapping in a cross from Masini in the 60th minute to level the score at 1-1 and swing momentum back to the home side.

The match-winning moment arrived in the 80th minute, again engineered by the substitutes. N’Dicka, who had opened the scoring for Roma, turned provider, delivering a precise pass to Vitinha inside the penalty area. The Portuguese forward made no mistake, slotting his finish past Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar to complete the turnaround and put Genoa ahead 2-1.

Roma pushed for a late equalizer but could not break down a resolute Genoa defense a second time. The match concluded with a flurry of cautions, including a yellow for Roma’ Cristante in the 89th minute, as the visitors’ frustration mounted.

The result provides a perfect start to the Serie A campaign for Genoa, which begins the season with one win and no losses. For AS Roma, under new management, it marks a disappointing start with one loss and no wins. The data underscored the importance of the benches: all four goals and assists were recorded by players who began the match as substitutes.

The victory grants Genoa early momentum in the league table, while AS Roma is left to analyze a match where a lead, fueled by a substitute’s contribution, ultimately slipped away due to the impactful interventions of the opposition’s own replacements.