The country game 24. Mou slams into the relegated Venezia in the embrace of the Olimpico
Eighteenth century, are the kilometers that separate Rome from Tirana, the distance that separates Mourinho’s formation from the dream of being able to bring a European trophy back to the capital that has been missing for over 60 years. A dream within reach of the Giallorossi, committed to the Conference League final against the Dutch of Feyenord, which the Roma people do not want to give up. This is demonstrated by the over 63,000 spectators who filled the Olympic Stadium on Saturday for the evening advance of the penultimate Serie A championship act., against Soncin’s Venice, who arrived in Rome with the mathematical certainty of having to leave the top flight and start again from the cadeteria next season. The Special One, who fielded Spinazzola from the first minute, on his return after 400 days from the terrible injury in the national team, however, greets his audience by collecting only one point against the lagoons, and this, after the outcome of the final in Albania, still maintains games are open for the next qualification in the Europa League.
Everything will be decided, therefore, on the last day, at the last minute of a season whose verdicts are still almost all to be defined, a symptom of a Serie A that is back and being compelling and engaging. The first sentence, in fact, is precisely for the orange-green team, which relegates to Serie B after only one year in the top national competition, but which presents itself at the Olimpico with the spirit of those who want to sell their skin dearly.. And in fact, before the clock completed first turn of hands, Okereke, on Aramu’s cross, takes advantage of the lack of reactivity of the Giallorossi rearguard to anticipate all the heads and the result. A cold shower for the hosts, who take 18 ‘to get back on their feet and present themselves near Maenpaa, and then stay there for most of the meeting in search of the right opening. But in addition to a low and compact Venezia behind the line of the ball, outnumbered by the expulsion of Kiyine in the 31st minute of the first half – author of a bad foul against Pellegrini reported to Referee Sozza from the Var – Roma have had to contend with a Maenpaa in the day and with the woods of the Venetian door that do not reward the attempts of Mourinho’s men. The crossing saved Venice in the 19th minute of the first half after a splendid free-kick by Pellegrini. The vibrations of the wood from the Giallorossi captain vibrate the strings of the team, which from here begin to become dangerous on several occasions, without however scratching the Digavenezian.
In the second half the music does not change, there is always Rome ahead, there is always Venice lined up on the shields, and there is always the crossing between the Giallorossi and the goal. Cristante hits another in the 51st minute, with a shot from distance, and Pellegrini catches it once again on a free kick in the 57th minute, but Maenpaa’s goal seems haunted. The visiting goalkeeper surpasses himself once again in the 60th minute on El Sharawy’s shot, enters the second half to increase the attacking weight and the unpredictability on the Roma attack front. But the wildcard from the bench Mourinho finds him in Shomurodov, who at 75 ‘collects the rejection of Maenpaa on Pellegrini’s pocket and throws the ball into the net making the Olimpico explode. The stadium explodes, the decibels go up and Roma go up on a permanent basis in the trocar, but the siege of Abraham and his companions stops on the hands of Maenpaa and on the ten in the field under the orders of Soncin. The target shooting is not precise and not lethal and the triple whistle of the referee sends Roma to the next two seasonal engagements, at the crossroads between a possible return to Europe and a page of history to be written.
ROME (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Kumbulla (1 ‘st El Shaarawy), Smalling, Ibanez; Maitland-Niles (1’st Karsdorp),
Veretout (15 ‘st Shomurodov), Cristante, Spinazzola (1’ st Zalewski); Pellegrini, Perez (38 ‘st Volpato);
Abraham. Coach: Mourinho
VENICE (3-4-2-1): Menpaa; Ampadu, Caldara, Ceccaroni; Mateju (20 ‘st Svoboda), Crnigoj (35’ st Ebuehi),
Vacca (28 ‘pt Fiordilino), Haps; Kiyine, Aramu (20’st Peretz); Okereke (35 ‘st Johnsen). Coach: Soncin
REFEREE: Sozza di Seregno
MARKERS: 1 ‘pt Okereke, 31’ st Shomurodov
(photo Pasquale Golia from Rome)
from Rome, Giovanni Pirillo