Roma's title hopes take a hit
Source: Agencies |
April 27, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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AS Roma handed the Serie A title initiative back to leader Inter Milan after losing 1-2 at home to Sampdoria on Sunday, its first league defeat in 25 games.
Claudio Ranieri's side looked to be returning to the summit after Francesco Totti's 14th-minute goal but a second-half double from Giampaolo Pazzini sent Sampdoria back up to the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot.
Inter, which had let slip a nine-point lead from February, beat Atalanta 3-1 on Saturday and lies two points ahead of Roma with three games left as it seeks a fifth straight scudetto.
The visit of Sampdoria had looked the toughest-remaining hurdle in debt-laden Roma's fairytale route to a surprise fourth Serie A title and so it proved.
Totti, substituted in last weekend's derby win over Lazio because he was over-excited, expertly turned in Mirko Vucinic's pass to boost calls for the Italian to come out of international retirement at June's World Cup.
But it was another Azzurri striker hoping to be in South Africa who produced stunned silence in the Stadio Olimpico.
First Pazzini headed in former Roma forward Antonio Cassano's cross early in the second half before poking in the winner five minutes from time.
"First half that wasn't us," Pazzini told Sky TV. "Then we sorted it out in the second half. It was a great match and our Champions League dream continues."
Roma, which also faces Inter in the Italian Cup final on May 5, probably did enough to claim a draw, with Totti hitting the post and a strong penalty appeal being turned down.
Claudio Ranieri's side looked to be returning to the summit after Francesco Totti's 14th-minute goal but a second-half double from Giampaolo Pazzini sent Sampdoria back up to the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot.
Inter, which had let slip a nine-point lead from February, beat Atalanta 3-1 on Saturday and lies two points ahead of Roma with three games left as it seeks a fifth straight scudetto.
The visit of Sampdoria had looked the toughest-remaining hurdle in debt-laden Roma's fairytale route to a surprise fourth Serie A title and so it proved.
Totti, substituted in last weekend's derby win over Lazio because he was over-excited, expertly turned in Mirko Vucinic's pass to boost calls for the Italian to come out of international retirement at June's World Cup.
But it was another Azzurri striker hoping to be in South Africa who produced stunned silence in the Stadio Olimpico.
First Pazzini headed in former Roma forward Antonio Cassano's cross early in the second half before poking in the winner five minutes from time.
"First half that wasn't us," Pazzini told Sky TV. "Then we sorted it out in the second half. It was a great match and our Champions League dream continues."
Roma, which also faces Inter in the Italian Cup final on May 5, probably did enough to claim a draw, with Totti hitting the post and a strong penalty appeal being turned down.
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