Roma Roma Roma

While the result for Roma was disappointing Sunday night at the Stadio Olimpico, it forced me to reflect on the amazing run the team has been on. Before facing Sampdoria, Roma was on a six game winning streak and an incredible 24 match unbeaten run that had started all the way back in November. They had started the season so poorly that ex-manager Luciano Spalletti had resigned after just three matches, including a 3-1 smackdown by Juventus at the end of August in a game that I watched online and my sister attended live at the Olimpico. I remember thinking at the time that Juve looked a good bet to take the Scudetto, with their new Brazilians, Deigo and Felipe Melo starring in midfield. In contrast, Roma was a team in shambles, looking like their age had finally caught up with them, which was going to be especially problematic considering there was going to be no money available in the January transfer window. Eight months later, and my how things had changed. Roma was sitting top of the table while Juve have struggled and are out of a Champions League place. Thus, even though the 2-1 loss against Sampdoria left me extremely disappointed, I couldn’t help but take a moment to reflect and appreciate on a tremendous Roma campaign.

But enough reminiscing about the past, the match Sunday night against Sampdoria had the attention of all of Italy focused on the calcio in the capital, as the Giallorossi needed all three points to go two past Inter with three remaining. Behind the support of a packed crowd, Roma started the match brightly. They looked nothing like the lazy team that was exceptionally fortunate to escape from Udinese with a 2-1 aggregate victory in the Coppa Italia semi-finals in midweek. I suspect this was mostly because of the changes that manager Claudio Ranieri made to the squad, with Totti and Jeremy Menez replacing Luca Toni and the artist formerly known as the Beast, Julio Baptista. The change really affects the team, as Totti and Menez prefer the typical Roma style that uses quick clever ground passes, as opposed to the aerial power style preferred by Toni and Baptista that inevitably takes Roma out of their game.

The first half saw many Roma chances go astray that they would later rue, especially an unmarked bicycle attempt by Juan that went well wide. While it would have been a sick goal, there was really no reason for a Brazilian such as himself him to miss the target so badly from only eight yards out. The goal finally came in the 14^th minute from a series of give and go’s between Vucinic and Totti. The end result was a low cross into Totti who made a slightly awkward one touch finish with his left foot that nonetheless easily slid by the ex-Milan goalie, Marco Storari. The half also contained two legit penalty shouts, according to my fading Italian skills while listening to the always animated halftime show. The first came when a defender dragged down Menez in the area off a long ball, and the second came when a Vucinic cross hit the hand of a Samp defender who was admittedly trying to pull his hand away at the last second. But the score remained 1-0 at the half, one of those times where one knows the team will later regret their misfortune in not expanding the lead.

Unfortunately, the Roma defense soon conceded in the second half despite having not given up any legit chances up to that point. The danger came as always from Sampdoria star Antonio Cassano, who blew by Burdisso to get off a hanging cross that was met at the back post by a powerful header from Giampaolo Pazzini that went low and hard through the legs of Roma keeper Julio Sergio. While the header was an impressive one, I couldn’t help but get the feeling that Sergio could’ve saved it. However the goal made sense, as I knew his luck was due to run out after making the game winning save in midweek when a shot smashed off the post then against his diving face and out of bounds. After the goal, Roma tried to counter, but had trouble until Ranieri subbed on Toni for Perotta in the 67^th. Within a minute of coming on, Toni managed to free himself for a similar header to the one Pazzini had, with the difference being that Toni didn’t hit his as cleanly, and that the athletic Storari somehow managed to keep the effort out of the net. Roma finally managed to put the ball away in the 75^th through another Toni effort, but it was not to be, as replays confirmed that he had been clearly offsides.

Knowing that a lone point was not enough to maintain the Scudetto lead, Ranieri went for broke in the 75^th, when he subbed in Rodrigo Taddei, a midfielder, for right back Marco Cassetti. It almost paid off when a Taddei cross ended up outside the box at the feet of the capable ex-Liverpool man John Arne Risse, who unleashed a trademark Risse thunderbolt towards the top corner, only for Storari to once again make an incredible reaction save. I’ll never understand why Milan wanted to loan him out once again, especially when they put the error prone Dida in goal game after game, but I digress. With Roma pushing so hard forward to find the winner, they were always going to be vulnerable at the back. Their gamble failed in the 85^th, as substitute Daniele Mannini led a counter attack up the flank of the departed Cassetti, and found Pazzini, this time with a low cross that he finished with a left footed toe poke, leaving Julio Sergio no chance. The goal was no doubt a result of Roma’s attacking intentions, as Burdisso tried to cover the extra space only to see Mannini’s cross somehow go through his legs to Pazzini, who an exhausted Risse had allowed to get goal side. The final minutes played out without Roma ever really threatening, leaving Sampdoria holding the leagues coveted fourth and final Champions League place and Roma looking up to title holders Inter, who now sit on top with 73 points over Roma’s 71.

While the loss did make me appreciate the incredible run that Roma have been on, it will be all for naught if they don’t find a way to snatch the Scudetto away from Inter in the remaining few games. The stage is set for a wild finish, so stay tuned next weekend, as Saturday sees Inter take on Atalanta at the San Siro after their midweek showdown with Barcelona, while Roma travel to Parma on Sunday morning.