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A late penalty from Tammy Abraham saw Roma defeat Spezia at the Alberto Picco today. The Giallorossi were the more dominant side and were attacking constantly. However, they were unable to make the most out of several scoring opportunities. Spezia had a chance or two to score but they were mostly on the backfoot throughout the course of the match.
Starting XIs: Mkhitaryan and Mancini Back, Spezia Make Four Changes
Both sides made four changes to their respective lineups. Gianluca Mancini was back for Roma and he partnered Chris Smalling and Marash Kumbulla in the heart of the defense. In midfield, Nicola Zalewski started and so did Jordan Veretout. Henrikh Mkhitaryan also returned to the lineup.
Spezia also made four changes from their defeat in Bologna last weekend.
Spezia Reduced to Ten Men
Roma started well and had a very good chance to open the scoring in the first few minutes. Veretout’s corner found Mancini who headed towards goal. However, Ivan Provedel made a fine save to deny him. Spezia were forced to make an early change after Jacopo Sala suffered a injury. He was replaced by Giulio Maggiore.
The Giallorossi continued to put pressure on the Spezia backline with the likes of Abraham and Lorenzo Pellegrini taking shots at goal. However, neither were able to find the net. The hosts were eventually reduced to ten men just before the interval after Kevin Amian was sent off due to a second yellow card.
Abraham Last-Gasp Penalty Wins it for Roma
Roma had a very good chance to take the lead early in the second half when Pellegrini crossed to Abraham. However, the former Chelsea striker’s header was wide. Just minutes later, Bryan Cristante hit the woodwork with shot. Roma continued to put pressure on the Spezia defense as Pellegrini attempted a shot on goal only for it to reach Provedel.
Spezia had a chance to take the lead during the 57th minute through M’Bala Nzola. However, Rui Patricio was there to deny him. It was the first time during the match that the Portuguese was challenged.
Roma continued to attack with intensity and the Spezia backline did fairly well to deny them. Nicolo Zaniolo had a chance to score for the visitors but Provedel made a brilliant save. Pellegrini was having a fine game and he often looked to find the net, especially in the 87th minute when Roma won the free-kick. However, the captain’s shot was just wide.
It looked like Roma would suffer another winless result but they won a late penalty in the dying moments of the match. Up stepped Abraham and he found the net to seal three points for the Giallorossi.
While Mourinho will be happy with the three points, he wil not be too pleased with the number of chances his team missed. Roma will have to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to play European football next season.
The Giallorossi are currently sixth in the Serie A table with 44 points, six behind the top four. Spezia are 16th in the standings, four points above the relegation zone.
Abraham penalty in 9th minute of injury time gives Roma win
Tammy Abraham scored a penalty deep into stoppage time to end Roma’s winless run as the capital side scraped a 1-0 victory at 10-man Spezia in Serie A on Sunday. Abraham’s penalty came in the ninth minute of injury time after Roma had hit the woodwork four times and wasted a number of chances at Spezia, which had played most of the match with 10 men after defender Kelvin Amian was sent off at the end of the first half. It was Roma’s first win in five matches and lifted it up to sixth, six points behind fourth-place Juventus. Spezia is four points off the relegation zone.
All Serie A matches are starting five minutes late this weekend accompanied by a peace message following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Napoli can move level with league leader AC Milan with a win at Lazio later.
Roma coach José Mourinho was serving the first of a two-match suspension following his actions toward the referee during and after last week’s 2-2 draw against Hellas Verona. Spezia had lost its previous two matches to late goals and its hopes of getting something against Roma diminished on the stroke of halftime when Amian was sent off following a second yellow card.
Roma upped the pressure immediately after the break and Bryan Cristante’s shot came off the base of the right post. That was the second time Roma had hit the woodwork in the match after Spezia goalkeeper Ivan Provedel pulled off a fantastic save to tip Lorenzo Pellegrini’s strike off the post. And the woodwork again denied Roma in a frantic finale as Nicolò Zaniolo twice hit the crossbar in the same move and the ball was cleared off the line before Spezia managed to get it away in a goalmouth scramble.
However, the referee reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor and awarded a penalty after spotting that Giulio Maggiore had caught Zaniolo in the face with a high boot as the Roma midfielder was diving for a header for the first of his attempts that hit the bar. Abraham kept his cool to drill the penalty into the bottom left corner.
GOAL DROUGHT ENDED Giovanni Simeone broke his goal drought in style with a second-half hat trick to help Hellas Verona beat relegation-threatened Venezia 3-1.
Tammy Abraham strikes at the death to seal Roma win over Spezia
Roma kept their European hopes alive with a narrow 1-0 win against relegation battlers Spezia on Sunday evening, but they left it late to do so.
In a hard-fought game, the first half ended with Kelvin Amian being dismissed for an outswinging arm to see his second yellow card.
That gave Roma a one-man advantage in the second half, and despite their dominance, they couldn’t make it pay.
It wasn’t until Tammy Abraham converted Roma’s latest ever Serie A goal on 98 minutes and three seconds that Roma took the lead.
A penalty awarded seconds after Abraham hit the post and for a kick to Nicolo Zaniolo’s face, it caused chaos which saw the final whistle delayed until the spot-kick was awarded and Abraham converted.
The result means that Jose Mourinho’s side remain only six points off the top four.
