Santi Castro shines as Roma dominate Newport County in friendly
Santi Castro opened his Roma career with a goal and an assist as the Italian side beat Newport County 4-1 in a friendly on Tuesday, 4 August, during their British Isles tour. The match, part of Roma's preparation for the new season, showcased the Argentine forward's immediate impact.
La Roma continues its preparation for the upcoming campaign and on Tuesday 4 August secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Newport County of Gales in a friendly played as part of its tour of the Islas Británicas. The win underlined the squad's attacking intent ahead of the league start.
The biggest story for Gian Piero Gasperini's side was the debut goal from Santiago Castro, who also completed a standout performance with an assist. The Argentine's contribution gave the coach an early boost of confidence in his new signing.
Castro arrived from Bologna in this transfer window for a total package of around 35 million euros, combining fixed and variable components. He started alongside Paulo Dybala in the attack, marking only his second appearance after debuting the previous weekend against Cardiff.
The opening goal came when Castro provided an assist to Mario Hermoso. Later, the ex‑Vélez player extended the lead by converting a penalty, while a third goal originated from a pass by Dybala to Konstantinos Koulierakis. In the final stages, Matías Soulé, who came off the bench, sealed the 4-1 result, and Kyle Cameron added a consolation for the Welsh side.
The 21‑year‑old striker left Bologna after two and a half seasons, during which he featured in 105 Serie A and Coppa Italia matches, scoring 22 goals and delivering 13 assists. He was also part of the squad that lifted the Coppa Italia in 2025.
In the previous season, Castro recorded 11 goals and four assists, a tally that attracted interest from several major Italian clubs before his move to Roma was finalized.
Una publicación shared on Instagram by AS Roma captured the Festejo of Santiago Castro, number 9, celebrating his contribution in the friendly. Credits for the post were given to @CentralASRoma.