Siena 1-2 Roma

Claudio Ranieri got off to a winning start thanks to a strike from John Arne Riise which gave Roma a 1-0 win over Siena.

The scarcely-deserved victory was the Giallorossi's first points after back-to-back defeats to start the season had left them bottom of Serie A and prompted former boss Luciano Spalletti to resign after five years in charge.

Following the upheaval of the past fortnight Ranieri would have hoped for a better start than to see his side fall behind after 26 minutes when Massimo Maccarone poked home from close range.

Roma struggled to impose themselves thereafter, but the match turned their way in six second-half minutes when first Phillippe Mexes equalised with 73 minutes on the clock before Siena midfielder Paul Codrea was sent off for a foul on Francesco Totti that earned him a second booking.

The visitors pushed forward with their extra-man advantage and broke through for their winner a minute from the end when Riise fired in a free-kick from 25 yards.

Ranieri led his side out at the Artemio Franchi Montepaschi Arena with little time to establish himself - the matches will come thick and fast with their Europa League campaign due to begin in midweek with a trip to Basle.

The former Juventus boss would therefore have been happy to kick-off on a winning note, although it looked as though the capital club's recent frustrations would continue when Maccarone was allowed the simplest of tasks to turn in the game's opening goal with 26 minutes played.

Roma had only rarely threatened before then with Totti seeing an early free-kick deflected narrowly over the crossbar while David Pizzarro volleyed wide of the right-hand post.

Julio Baptista was brought on as a 17th-minute substitute after Matteo Brighi was injured and the forward, who only arrived back in Italy late last week after being in action for Brazil, tested Gianluca Curci just before the interval with a drilled effort.

Siena launched a quick counter-attack a minute later through Abdelkader Ghezzal who crossed from the left for Michele Fini who directed a shot wide of the right-hand post.

Roma forged a couple of chances in the 10 minutes after half-time with Mexes' speculative long-range drive flying over before Simone Perrotta skimmed a post with a right-foot shot from 10 yards.

Siena looked the more likely to score as the half wore on with Fini shooting over from the edge of the area. Maccarone then crossed to an unmarked Emanuele Calaio in the area but he wastefully blazed too high.

Fini then tried his luck from distance with a low shot that fizzed past the right-hand post, but for all their attacking endeavour the hosts conceded after 73 minutes.

A fine Roma passing move ended when Pizzarro crossed for Totti whose back pass to Mexes allowed the Frenchman the time he needed to pick his spot with a low shot from 10 yards.

Six minutes later Siena went down to 10 men when Codrea poorly timed a tackle on Totti and earn a second caution.

It was the incentive Roma needed after an otherwise lacklustre display and they got their winner a minute from the end when Riise, on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Juan, blasted home a free-kick in typical style.