Edin Dzeko finds form with a hat trick, Bryan Cristante shines as Roma thrash Viktoria Plzen

Edin Dzeko shook himself out of his weeks-long funk by bashing home a casual hat trick against a dreadful Viktoria Plzen as Roma bagged their first Champions League points and officially brought their early season crisis to an end. Just over two minutes had gone when the Bosnian opened the scoring, taking full advantage of an inexplicable offside trap with no pressure on the ball to charge in from the left flank and end a seven-game goal drought.

Immediately the heavy air that has surrounded him since the opening day of the season was lifted, and suddenly a different player was leading the line. He ended the match as a contest five minutes before the break, bringing down Cengiz Under's high, floated cross under no pressure just outside the six-yard box and lashing home his second.

In-between times Roma had put poor Plzen through the wringer, creating chance after chance and looking a completely different side to the one that struggled through the first six weeks of the campaign.

Justin Kluivert and Under were irresistible on the flanks, while Bryan Cristante was a dark horse for the man-of-the-match award that most casual observers would have given to Dzeko for his goals. The Italian international was crucial in Roma's third and fourth, first winning back the ball and launching the move from which Under made it three with a cheeky finish, then sending the Turk through with a superb long pass that led to the attacker drawing a fine save from Matus Kozacik that Kluivert was on hand to tap home for a well-deserved first Roma goal.

All that was left now was for Dzeko to secure the match ball by heading home Alessandro Florenzi's corner completely unmarked. That goal took his career tally against the Czech side to nine -- truly they were the perfect opposition for the striker, and this was a perfect night for Roma.

Positives Where to start? Apart from the obvious good news about Dzeko rediscovering his shooting boots, everyone played well, and a raft of players who were previously being jammed into round holes suddenly look like they were born to wear Giallorosso. Lorenzo Pellegrini was a delight in behind Dzeko just as he was against Lazio, while Cristante was authoritative and measured as a deep-lying playmaker. At last Roma have an identifiable style of play which is bringing out the best in the players, and it gives hope for the rest of the season.

Negatives

The only real downer for the night was Patrik Schick still being completely out of sorts. It probably didn't help that Dzeko was still on the field when he was brought on, but the Czech is not in the best of shape psychologically at the momnt. He needs a chance up top when Dzeko is rested, otherwise it's difficult to see how the issue of his form can be resolved.