
Hermoso shines in midfield as Castro and Koulierakis score in Newport win
Roma defeated Newport 4–1 in a pre-season fixture against the League Two side, with standout performances from players operating in new roles. Mario Hermoso played as a central midfielder alongside Neil El Aynaoui, opening the scoring with a run from deep and earning the penalty that led to Roma's second goal. Castro converted that spot-kick and added a second later in the match, while Koulierakis also found the net as Roma sealed a comfortable victory. Gasperini deployed a familiar attacking shape with a number 10 and two forwards, pairing Paulo Dybala with Castro in the final third and Cristante behind them. The midfield experiment with Hermoso proved effective, offering Roma creative options from a deeper position. Once Roma established control, the side managed the encounter well to secure the win. The positive takeaway extends beyond the scoreline: the goals from Castro and Koulierakis provided encouraging early evidence of attacking depth as Roma continue their pre-season preparations.





