| Roma put in a four-star first half performance to destroy Torino and keep the Scudetto unassigned for a little longer, but there was a refereeing howler. There was a sombre atmosphere at the Olimpico after a disastrous week in which their Scudetto hopes vanished, Francesco Totti underwent knee ligament surgery ruling him out for four months and reports suggested American-based millionaire George Soros bid to overtake the club. Torino had no time for these issues, as new Coach Gianni De Biasi was seeking points to break away from the relegation zone after a fine performance still failed to get any points off Inter last Sunday.
Toro won here 1-0 last term with Roberto Muzzi's goal and welcomed David Di Michele and Alvaro Recoba back to the side, but Eugenio Corini and Davide Bottone were banned.
Alexander Doni parried a Simone Barone strike, but Roma should have taken the lead on six minutes. A David Pizarro free kick found Daniele De Rosi at the back post for a series of ricochets until Pisano performed a goalline clearance. Philippe Mexes hit the back of the net with a looping header, but it was disallowed for a slight push on Motta. Moments later Simone Perrotta was hauled back by Paolo Hernan Dellafiore in a foul that started in the D and carried on into the box, so the referee awarded a penalty. In the absence of Totti and following De Rossi's error against Manchester United, Pizarro stepped up and just about squirmed his right-foot spot-kick under Alberto Maria Fontana's arm, though the Toro goalkeeper got a hand to it. The Giallorossi made it 2-0 on the counter-attack, as Perrotta threaded through for Mirko Vucinic to squeeze his shot in from the tightest of angles. There was no stopping Roma as Toro fell to pieces in the capital. Cicinho's cross from the right found Amantino Mancini at the back post for a brilliant looping header across the face of goal. By the 32nd minute it was already 4-0, as Mancini got a morale-boosting second. The Brazilian in the midst of contract renegotiations tapped in a generous cutback from Vucinic. Fontana pushed Vucinic's free kick out from under the crossbar, but Aimo Diana went off with a bruised kneecap after an accidental collision with Mexes. Torino got a consolation goal through substitute Nicola Ventola's header from a Nikola Lazetic cross. In part because Roma were now 'resting', the Granata risked a second goal soon after when Vincenzo Grella flashed a fierce piledriver inches past the near post. Doni was kept busy with a save on Roberto Stellone's downward header. Juan was perhaps harshly sent off in the final stages for a challenge on Di Michele. Former Palermo man Di Michele had a good chance charged down, but Toro should perhaps have been left with 10 men too. Dellafiore was booked in the first half for that penalty on Perrotta, then had another yellow card for hauling down Cicinho, but the referee did not show the red. | 
