With Gian Piero Gasperini watching on from his new dugout, the Giallorossi emerged from a frenetic start to gain control of proceedings.
Debutant Evan Ferguson saw two early shots denied by Lukasz Skorupski, who then had a scare when his attempted pass was blocked by Matias Soule before the ball bounced harmlessly into the goalkeeper’s grasp.
Ferguson continued to look bright and soon got himself in front of goal again, but ultimately headed wide from Angelino’s cross.
Bryan Cristante then hit the woodwork with his glanced header from Soule’s free-kick delivery, as Roma kept applying pressure before the drinks break.
While they didn’t concede, the Rossoblu suffered a blow moments after the action resumed, with Ciro Immobile’s debut being cut short as he pulled up when trying to run behind.
Wesley then curled an ambitious strike wide for Roma before Santiago Castro blazed his shot over the crossbar at the other end.
Eager to atone for his earlier miss, Castro smashed an audacious attempt against the crossbar within three minutes of the restart, but it was Roma who opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, as Wesley pounced on Jhon Lucumi’s lax pass before sending his effort trickling past Skorupski and into the bottom corner.
With Bologna looking for an immediate response, Riccardo Orsolini tested Mile Svilar shortly after Wesley’s opener, but Roma should have had a second shortly after the hour mark, when Ferguson’s cross found Manu Kone in space, only for the midfielder to slide the ball wide.
Paulo Dybala then saw his attempt punched away shortly after being introduced, and an Evan Ndicka block was required at the other end to deny Rossoblu substitute Federico Bernadeschi.
That was enough to ensure the win, which marked Roma’s 23rd consecutive Serie A match unbeaten. In contrast to their hosts, Bologna have lost four consecutive league fixtures for the first time since August 2018.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Wesley (AS Roma)