Roma see off Sampdoria fightback to take three points in Serie A

Roma resisted a late Sampdoria fightback to record a 2-1 Serie A victory at the Stadio Olimpico.

Goals from Alessandro Florenzi and new signing Diego Perotti boosted the Giallorossi into a healthy lead, but Fernando's response for Samp set nerves jangling.

Wojciech Szczesny had to protect the three points with a point-blank save from Antonio Cassano at the death.

Roma might have scored several times in the first half. Antonio Rudiger was unlucky not to steer Miralem Pjanic's cross home and Stephan El Shaarawy almost found the inside of the far post on 15 minutes.

Samp had their moments with Luis Muriel blasting over the bar at the end of a rapid counter-attack.

The opening goal arrived on the stroke of half-time, with Florenzi finding himself well-placed to nod the ball over the line after El Shaarawy's shot was flicked into the air by retreating Samp defender Mattia Cassani.

Former Genoa winger Perotti doubled Roma's advantage five minutes after the restart by driving a volley beyond Emiliano Viviano, but this time Samp had an answer.

In the 57th minute Fernando slashed the deficit with a deflected finish following good work from David Ivan.

Samp began to dominate possession without doing much with it and they were nearly punished for their dawdling when El Shaarawy flashed an attempt just wide of a post.

The real drama was still to come, though, as substitute Cassano -- the controversial former Roma striker -- forced a desperate stop from Szczesny with only seconds remaining.