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Feature Photo: © AFP
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All Roma supporters could hope for yesterday was an entertaining match, conscious that coming back from three goals should be an exception, not the rule. Still, the Giallorossi went as close as possible to another sensational comeback, prevailing over Liverpool 4-2 in the second leg of a Champions League Semifinal. The Reds advanced on a futsal-like 7-6 aggregate score, and will play Real Madrid in the 2018 Final in Kyiv, but Roma left their Stadio Olimpico home ground with their heads held high.
Roma thus concluded their first dance among the Top 4 European clubs in 34 years with many regrets, thinking about how Eusebio Di Francesco’s band threw away the first leg match one week ago, conceding five goals to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, before scoring two. Referee decisions last night were not on the Wolves side either, with Roma being disallowed a penalty as big as the Colosseo, that could have changed the match fate.
If you add that Liverpool’s two goals originated from two unfortunate defensive mishaps, the impression is that these Roma didn’t have anything less than their British rivals. Except maybe for a Mohammed Salah in a Ballon d’Or shape – and even him, he was a Giallorosso no more than nine months ago. Speaking of regrets.
Stadio Olimpico did their best to emulate Anfield Road’s fiery atmosphere from one week ago, fueled by that strange feeling of confidence that the epic remuntada over Barcelona instilled into Roma fans hearts. Just like recovering a three-goal deficit was not only possible, but totally normal.
Too bad that an early goal by Sadio Mané put a brutal damper on Roma hopes, when a catastrophic back pass by Radja Nainggolan triggered a quick counterattack by the Reds. Roberto Firmino served the Senegalese striker – whose aim tonight was much better than the last week – and Liverpool went up 0-1 after just eight minutes.
Game over then? Not at all, as in the 14th minute the Giallorossi had already equalised, taking advantage of a Liverpool defensive hara-kiri this time. Stephan El Shaarawy, who will end up being one of the best among his comrades, pushed the ball into Liverpool’s box with a header. Defender Dejan Lovren flipped it away, only to hit his teammate James Milner – whose involuntary header made it even for Roma.
Mané tried to re-establish the distances with a short-range tap in, that exalted Alisson Becker’s reflexes, but on the subsequent corner the visitors put their heads ahead again. Forward Edin Dzeko should be doing everything but defending, and that became even more evident when his attempt of clearance only served the purpose of providing an assist to Liverpool’s Georgino Wijnaldum. The Dutch’s first goal in 11 seasonal caps brought the Reds to 1-2, and the Wolves back to square one.
El Shaarawy shook goalkeeper Loris Karius’ post in the 34th minute, then saw the German parrying back another shot of his, a few minutes into the second half. But this time, Dzeko was ready to capture the ball, and make it two for Roma.The Giallorossi were alive and fighting, and clearly not favored by referee Damir Skomina, who failed to see a macroscopic handball by Trent Alexander-Arnold into his own box. A few minutes earlier, the Slovenian ref had disallowed another penalty for Roma: Karius knocked down Dzeko to save his goal in a one-to-one duel, but the Bosnian giant was erroneously flagged in offside.
Loris Karius saved his Reds in at least two more occasions, deflecting shots by El Shaarawy, and Dzeko again. Roma’s Alisson Becker also had his part in maintaining the score unchanged, in a match played at a high pace, with one team trying to keep the momentum going, and the other one aiming at controlling the game – not exactly something they excel at.
With 15 minutes to go, coach Di Francesco sent in youth club winger Mirco Antonucci. Fun fact is that this young lad ended up playing more minutes in a Champions League Semifinal at 19, than Roma legend Francesco Totti in his whole career…
In the 85th minute, Radja Nainggolan redeemed himself from his early mistake, with a powerful shot that caught Liverpool’s goalie by surprise this time, and gave the home side the lead for the first time. Then Roma’s forcing during extra time produced one more emotion, with Skomina finally awarding the Giallorossi a penalty due to Ragnar Klavan’s handball in the box – this one much less evident, the Estonian defender’s arm being tied up to his body. It was again the Ninja who took charge of converting it, giving his side the 4-2 goal, and his supporters a few seconds of insane hope.
But stoppage-time was abundantly over already, and the final whistle came right after the conversion. Liverpool reached their 7th Champions League Final in their history, Roma failed to conquer their second one. But they showed that miracles can indeed happen more than once. You just have to believe a little bit more…
MATCH REPORT
May 2, 2018 – Champions League 2017-18 Semifinal
ROMA-LIVERPOOL 4-2
SCORERS: 9′ Mané (L), 15′ Milner (L, o.g.), 25′ Wijnaldum (L), 52′ Dzeko (R), 86′ Nainggolan (R), 93′ Nainggolan (R, pen.)
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ROMA (4-3-3): Alisson; Florenzi, Manolas, Fazio, Kolarov; Nainggolan, De Rossi (69′ Gonalons), Pellegrini (53′ Under); Schick, Dzeko, El Shaarawy (75′ Antonucci) (Skorupski, Juan Jesus, Bruno Peres, Gerson) Coach: Di Francesco |
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LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Karius; Alexander-Arnold (92′ Clyne), Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner; Salah, Firmino (87′ Solanke), Mané (83′ Klavan) (Mignolet, Moreno, Woodburn, Ings) Coach: Klopp |
REFEREE: Skomina (Slovenia)
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Florenzi, Manolas (R), Lovren, Robertson, Solanke (R); Extra Time: 1st Half 1′, 2nd Half 3′; Liverpool advances on 7-6 aggregate score