Totti's double helps Roma crush Cesena

Published Jan. 21, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Francesco Totti scored twice in the opening eight minutes to set Roma on their way to an emphatic 5-1 win over Cesena.

The Romans were 3-0 up after nine minutes when Fabio Borini added his name to the scoresheet after Totti's brace and, although Citadin Eder pulled one back for the visitors in the 58th minute, Juan soon added the Giallorossi's fourth.

Miralem Pjanic wrapped up a brilliant night for Roma at the Stadio Olimpico with a fifth goal 20 minutes from time.

The result - Roma's fourth consecutive league win - lifted Luis Enrique's side up to sixth place, and they have a game in hand after last weekend's match at Catania was suspended due to a waterlogged pitch.

Cesena, meanwhile, were but a shadow of the side that beat Novara 3-1 last Sunday and remained in the relegation zone.

The hosts went ahead in the opening minute when Erik Lamela fed Totti and his right-footed strike from 10 yards beat Cesena goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli.

Again Lamela acted as provider in the eighth minute when he spotted Totti in the area and the captain fired past Antonioli.

Cesena had no time to react as Roma made it 3-0 seconds later following a fast counter-attack, Borini tapping home Leandro Greco's cross at the far post.

The visitors twice had the chance to trim the deficit before half-time.

Eder got his head to Roberto Guana's cross but his effort went wide, while Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg kept out Luca Ceccarelli's bullet strike from 30 yards.

Cesena's efforts paid off before the hour mark when Eder met substitute Antonio Candreva's cross and beat Stekelenburg.

In the 62nd minute, Antonioli did well to clear Borini's close-range header but the ball fell to Juan, who directed the rebound past the keeper.

Roma kept up the pressure and struck again when Antonioli failed to hold onto Pjanic's hard drive from 30 yards. The Roma midfielder was first to follow up and lashed in the fifth goal to complete the rout.