The Giallorossi impose themselves at home and reach Juventus in the standings, a black moment for the Ligurians with a point in the last five games
The Rome gets up after two consecutive defeats e overcomes La Spezia 2-0 at home in the last match of the seventeenth day of Serie A. They are Smalling at 6 ‘e Ibanez in the 56th minute, both on a corner kick, to give the victory that the Giallorossi of Mourinho in sixth place with 28 points like Juventus. For the team of Thiago Motta instead fifth match in a row without winning and fourth last place in the standings.
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THE MATCH
Roma returned to victory after two consecutive defeats and moved to sixth place with 28 points like Juventus, while Spezia did not win in five games (four knockouts and one draw) and was sucked into the dangerous areas of the standings. Ready to go and it is Smalling, who is recovering better after a long series of injuries, who unlocks the match after just six minutes: corner kick, Abraham’s side and the defender turns his head to goal just two steps from the door. For the Englishman it is a return to scoring in Serie A after 502 days. Roma is confident and immediately starts looking for the double, Abraham again in the assist man version frees Vina with a heel strike but Provedel closes the door. At 32 ‘the English striker, particularly inspired, tries an “Ibrahimovic” shot but his overhead hits the ball only from scratch. At this point the reaction of Spezia arrives, but Rui Patricio is attentive face to face with Reca, then at the last second of the first half there is yet another opportunity for Abraham: on a cross by Mkhitaryan the blow to the chest of the number 9 However, it ends up on the crossbar (fifth wood in this championship for the British), then on the second counter by Veretout the ball ends up between Nikolaou’s chest and arm before being saved on the goal line. No penalty and the teams go to the locker room.
In the second half, Spezia immediately tries the shot but Manaj first shoots high and then is weak when he shoots from a tight angle. At the 56th minute Roma strikes for the second time, again on a corner kick, this time with Ibanez bursts into the distracted Ligurian defense. It is the episodes that condemn La Spezia, Thiago Motta’s team, however, does not let themselves be discouraged and on the contrary in the 62nd minute shortens the distance with Manaj: the attacker is however offside, the Var rushes to help Mourinho’s men and the advantage remains double. The Spezia does not give up and recriminates for a missed red aimed at Kumbulla, who enters hard on Agudelo with a hammer foot, but the Var still graces Rome. The pace of the game at this point is lowered, Abraham tries to put Provedel with a touch from before but the goalkeeper is careful with the foot reflex in the 75th minute. Three minutes later a great opportunity for Spezia but Manaj is still offside in the scrum when Rui Patricio saves on him and then Gyasi shoots out into an empty net, then Amian’s header is inaccurate in the 82nd minute. At the last second, finally comes the sensational expulsion for the very young Giallorossi talent Felix Afena-Gyan: the 2003 class, already booked, goes on the net after having checked with his arm and rejoices getting the second yellow between the protests of Mourinho and the public.
REPORT CARDS
Smalling 7 – Roma leader beyond the goal: he commands in defense giving security to the whole department, grits his teeth despite physical discomfort before going out
Mkhitaryan 6,5 – All the most dangerous actions pass from him, he dribbles in midfield and is among those who jump most often the man creating numerical superiority
Abraham 7 – Unlucky on yet another wood of the season (the seventh total between league and cups), he plays for his teammates and even touches the net
Provedel 6 – Blameless on goals, careful at the exit and good reflex when he saves on Abraham in the second half
Gyasi 5 – A thorn in his side when he attacks on the wing with his speed, but lacking and distracted when he has to set up or help in the defensive phase
Manaj 6,5 – He is the most dangerous of his, he moves across the board with great sacrifice, he lacks precision if he has to finish and when he scores the goal is canceled.
THE TABLE
ROME-SPEZIA 2-0
ROMA (3-5-2): Rui Patricio 6.5, Ibanez 6.5, Smalling 7 (19 ‘st Diawara 6), Kumbulla 5.5, Karsdorp 5.5, Veretout 6 (48’ st Bove sv), Cristante 6, Mkhitaryan 6.5, Vina 6.5, Mayoral 5.5 (19 ‘st Afena-Gyan 5.5), Abraham 7. Available: Fuzato, Boer, Calafiori, Darboe, Ndiaye, Shomurodov, Villar, Zalwski. There. Mourinho 6
SPICE (3-5-2): Provedel 6, Amian 6, Erlic 5, Nikolaou 5, Gyasi 5, Kovalenko 5 (8 ‘st Agudelo 7), Sala sv (17’ pt Kiwior 5.5), Maggiore 5.5 (8 ‘st Bastoni 6), Reca 6, Strelec 5.5 (9 ‘st Green 6.5), Manaj 6.5. Available: Zoet, Zovko, Bertola, Colley, Ferrer, Hristov, Nguiamba, Sher. Herds Thiago Motta 6
Referee: Prontera
Markers: 6’ pt Smalling, 11’ st Ibanez
Ammonites: Vina, Kumbulla, Gyasi
Expelled: Afena-Gyan
THE STATISTICS
– For the first time since Opta collects the data (since 2004/05) an English player (Smalling) scored with an assist from another English player (Abraham) in Serie A.
– It was from March 2020 that Roma had not scored two goals in the same Serie A match, v Cagliari in that case.
– The last time Roma scored with two different defenders in the same Serie A match was in July 2020 v SPAL: Aleksandar Kolarov and Bruno Peres in that case.
– No player has hit more woods than Tammy Abraham in the top five European leagues in all competitions in 2021/22 (seven such as Lionel Messi and Bryan Mbuemo).
– No team has conceded more goals than Spezia from a free-kick situation in the current Serie A (13 like Cagliari).
– Chris Smalling had not found the net in Serie A since July 2020 (away goal against Torino).
– All of Chris Smalling’s 4 Serie A goals were scored on corner developments. In addition, the last three of Chris Smalling’s four top-flight goals were scored with a header.
– All three goals scored by Roger Ibañez in this Serie A have come from heads and corner developments.
– All three of Tammy Abraham’s assists in Serie A have come in home games.
– The last time Roma scored in the first 6 minutes of play in Serie A was back in April v Turin (Mayoral’s goal in the 3 ‘in that case).
– Only Genoa and Empoli (both seven) have conceded more goals than Spezia in the first 15 minutes of play in the current Serie A (six).
– Roma in all the home games of this Serie A in which they have progressed in scoring have always won (six including the latter).
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