In a face-off between top-four contenders in Serie A, AS Roma and Juventus played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico. The stalemate leaves the Old Lady without a win in five matches across all competitions (D4, L1).
Following their midweek UEFA Europa League semi-final first-leg defeat, Daniele De Rossi made five changes to his lineup, including the entire back four. The Roma defence showed signs of disarray early on, with a mix-up at the back nearly causing trouble. A backpass almost put Mile Svilar under pressure in goal, with Timothy Weah rushing towards him, resulting in a collision between the USA international and the goalkeeper in an attempt to block his clearance. Despite this, the Bianconeri pressed on with their lively start and came close to scoring when Federico Chiesa skillfully maneuvered into the box and found Dušan Vlahović, whose shot narrowly missed the target.
Although Roma’s defence seemed shaky, their attack showed promise as their full-backs almost combined for a brilliant goal. Angeliño delivered a deep cross to Rasmus Kristensen, whose header hit the woodwork. The Giallorossi gained momentum and took the lead on 15 minutes when Romelu Lukaku capitalized on a loose ball in the Juve box. However, Chiesa’s creativity led to an equalizer for Juventus just before halftime, as his cross into the box was headed in by Gleison Bremer.
Chiesa remained a threat in the second half, with his powerful shot hitting the post early on. Tensions rose when Weah’s challenge on Leandro Paredes went unpunished, prompting protests from the Roma players and bench for a second booking for Weah. Despite this, the referee opted not to issue a card, leading to Weah being substituted.
Both teams had opportunities in the second half, with Chiesa’s shot saved by Svilar and Roma’s attempts denied by former Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny. Ultimately, the match ended in a draw, keeping Roma in fifth place, although Atalanta have two games in hand. Meanwhile, Juventus remain third and are close to securing their place in next season’s Champions League.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Federico Chiesa (Juventus)
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