The return to goal of Belotti, the double of Candreva and the memory of Mazzone. Between Roma e Salernitana it ends 2-2, with the Giallorossi who, after having taken the lead, regain the result only in the final stages thanks to Gallo. The protagonist of the pre-match, however, is “Sir Carletto”, who passed away yesterday at the age of 86.
And if the Giallorossi play with black armbands, the club wanted to pay homage to him with a memory on the giant screens of the Olimpico (sold out again), while the fans filled the stadium with banners. The most poignant, the one in the South. “Another piece of Rome that is going away….Run Carletto run…towards heaven”. Then also the one for the team. “We left each other in Budapest, we meet again today stronger than before. Come on guys, the Olimpico is with you”.
But in the first half Roma did not reap what they had produced. Without Pellegrini and Dybala, suspended like José Mourinho, the Special One launched Aouar and Kristensen (on his Serie A debut), relying on Belotti in attack who repaid him after less than 8 minutes, only to see the goal disallowed for a millimetric offside identified by the VAR.
Joy only postponed for another ten minutes, when on Llorente's long throw, Gallo hooks and dribbles Gyomber, beating Ochoa. One nil and first goal in Serie A with the Giallorossi shirt after a drought of 34 championship days (the last one dates back to May 2022, XNUMX in Empoli-Torino).
At Roma's best moment, however, Salernitana equalized, good at taking advantage of Mancini and Smalling's sleep, leaving space and time for Candreva to enter the area and beat Rui Patricio. Same ending after four minutes of the second half with the second goal by the former Lazio player: and this time it was a real gem, a right and left-footed stop from the edge of the area, on the opposite post. It was inevitable to go and celebrate under the crowded section of 3.500 fans from Salerno.
The brace stuns Roma, and Mourinho tries the four substitutions card, removing the two wingers (Karsdorp and Zalewski for Kristensen and Spinazzola) and inserting Renato Sanches and Paredes, with the Argentine replacing Smalling, but without switching to a four-man defense. And the first chance comes from the Sanches-El Shaarawy axis, which ends with the Pharaoh hitting the post. In the meantime, Sousa removes Mazzocchi (a winger) for Dia (striker), not giving up playing.
But the Giallorossi draw is only postponed by a few minutes with Paredes' corner and Belotti's brace of headers that ignite a finale that sees Pagano make his debut in Serie A and Fazio go close to an own goal with 30 seconds to go. At Feliciani's final whistle, however, the score is 2-2. Mourinho's third season, unlike the first two, begins with a draw. Paulo Sousa's with an encouraging draw.
Article published on 20 August 2023 - 20:58
