The French striker scores twice in the 18th minute, then Zalewski closes. In the added time the Giallorossi defender kicks Berardi: red and a penalty that the blue scores. In the second half to Dybala’s magic, Pinamonti replies. Goal by Wijnaldum in added time
Mourinho was right when he spoke of a dangerous week. Except that Mou was referring to Lazio, while the Giallorossi slip came earlier, with Sassuolo, just when Roma (as in Cremona) could make the leap in quality and climb to second place. And instead the Giallorossi fall under the blows of Laurientè and Berardi and pay for a total madness of Kumbulla at the end of the first half: the cup hero turns into a black sheep and condemns the Giallorossi to a knockout. The 4-3 final for Sassuolo is full of emotions, stretches and chases, controversies and quarrels. In the end the Emilians rejoiced, the Giallorossi remained crying (with Smalling making his debut as captain).
I stretch it
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Mourinho isn’t there, but the Olimpico immediately makes him feel all his affection, between chants and banners (but no pañolada). Then we leave and Roma also seem to have the right gear, immediately dangerous with Wijnaldum and Abraham. But it’s a flash in the pan, because problems for the Giallorossi begin shortly thereafter. Which arrive on the external lanes, where Laurientè and Berardi are two furious. In fact, the Frenchman on the left takes advantage of the adaptations on the opposite side of Roma (Ibanez moved to the opposite side where he usually plays, Zalewski adapted to the right), where all sorts of things happen. So Ibanez falls asleep in the 13th minute and Laurientè opens the dance (after Rui Patricio’s save on Pinamonti), to reply five minutes later on an assist from Berardi. Then Roma shakes up, El Shaarawy touches the post with a header, Zalewski (on his first goal in Serie A) shortens with a little luck and Wijnaldum sends his head off from a good position. The Giallorossi seem to be back in the game, but in the end they get lost again, with Rui Patricio forced to get excited about Pinamonti and Berardi. Then in the 46th minute the madness of Kumbulla kicked Berardi in the area: red and penalty, which the playmaker from Emilia made no mistake.
The run-up
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Then Foti (on Mourinho’s mandate) sends in Karsdorp and Dybala, with Roma placing themselves with a sort of 3-4-2 and El Shaarawy having to fall back in the defensive phase to extend the line to four. And after 5 minutes it is Dybala’s magical left foot that reopens the games for the Giallorossi, with a perfect lap that lies under the opposite seven of Consigli. Not even the time to catch his breath before Berardi hits the crossbar, then the match becomes a bullfight and Cerra, Roma’s match-analysis, is also at the expense, expelled from the bench for protests. Camara also sees himself on the pitch again, who had played just a minute in La Spezia after the World Cup break. But more generally, Roma pushes, but seems to have exhausted the nervous strength that had come from Dybala’s goal. Zalewski then took care of rekindling it with a shot from outside which Consigli was good at saying no. After half an hour, however, it was Pinamonti who closed the game with an assist from Laurientè. The last yellow and red moves are then Volpato and Majchrzak, making their debut in Serie A. Abraham is booed, Dybala looks for another spell, Rui Patricio exalts himself on a free kick from Bajrami. In full recovery it was then Wijnaldum who rekindled the Giallorossi’s hopes with a touch of lower quality, but then there was no more room for anything. This is how it ends, with Sassuolo conquering the Olimpico and Roma remaining to wonder about the wasted opportunity.
March 12, 2023 (change March 12, 2023 | 20:09)
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