Donyell Malen delivered a dramatic late winner for AS Roma against Parma, converting a penalty in the 101st minute to secure a crucial 3-2 victory.

The brace from the 27-year-old Dutchman keeps Roma firmly in contention for a Champions League spot in Serie A, now tied with Milan with just two matchdays remaining in the season.

Malen’s immediate impact at Roma

Malen’s arrival on loan from Aston Villa in the winter transfer window has proven to be a masterstroke for the Giallorossi. Since his debut on matchday 21, he has been an unstoppable force, quickly establishing himself as a pivotal figure in Roma’s attack.

His 13 Serie A goals place him tied for second on the league’s top scorer list, a remarkable feat considering his late start to the campaign.

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Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who converted Malen from a winger to a central striker, has been effusive in his praise. “With Malen in the first half of the season, we would have collected a few more points,” Gasperini stated, highlighting the immediate impact of his new forward.

A tactical masterstroke and a permanent move

Malen’s move to Italy was driven by a desire for more playing time, with an eye on securing a spot in the Netherlands squad for the upcoming World Cup.

Gasperini’s tactical decision to deploy Malen as a central striker has paid dividends, mirroring a strategy he successfully employed with Ademola Lookman at Atalanta Bergamo, which ultimately led to Lookman’s move to Atletico Madrid.

The numbers behind Malen’s resurgence are staggering. Since joining Roma, he has scored as many goals as Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane in the same period and has outscored every other player in Europe’s top five leagues during that time. His Serie A statistics since arriving are:

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• 16 games played
• 1311 minutes
• 13 goals
• 2 assists

Such form has convinced AS Roma to make the move permanent. According to Voetbal International, Roma intends to exercise the €25 million purchase option for Malen, to be paid to Aston Villa.

Aston Villa had also invested €25 million in the forward, who previously moved to Borussia Dortmund from PSV Eindhoven in 2021 for €30 million. Malen will commit long-term to AS Roma, leaving Birmingham permanently, as reported by SPOX.

World Cup hopes for the Oranje

Malen’s scintillating form is undoubtedly welcome news for Netherlands national coach Ronald Koeman.

With Xavi Simons currently injured, Malen presents a compelling option for the central striker role, a position where Koeman has primarily relied on Brian Brobbey and Wout Weghorst.

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Malen’s recent output significantly surpasses that of his national team rivals; Brobbey has managed just one league goal for Sunderland since late January, while Weghorst has netted two league goals for Ajax Amsterdam in the same timeframe.

Italian sports newspaper Corriere dello Sport lauded Malen’s qualities, writing: “Nobody in Europe is better than him.

His goals, his constant sprints, his hard shots reminiscent of Batistuta. He converted the penalty with inhuman calm.”

As Roma pushes for Champions League qualification, Donyell Malen’s exceptional performances are not only propelling his club forward but also solidifying his claim as a vital asset for the Netherlands on the international stage.

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Sources: www.goal.com, www.spox.com

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