Roma and Milan are still locked together in fourth place after a dramatic injury time that saw Tammy Abraham’s goal wiped out by Alexis Saelemaekers.
This was a head-to-head for fourth with both teams tied on 56 points going in, having drawn 2-2 in January. Chris Smalling, Diego Llorente, Rick Karsdorp and Gini Wijnaldum were injured, with Paulo Dybala only fit the bench with a sprained ankle. The Rossoneri missed Alessandro Florenzi, Tommaso Pobega and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Davide Calabria returned from suspension and Olivier Giroud recovered from a knock.
The hosts were already short on defenders and lost Marash Kumbulla after 15 minutes due to a bruised knee, caused by an accidental coming together with Giroud, so Bryan Cristante had to drop into the back three.
Rade Krunic turned a free header wide from Brahim Diaz’s cross, while both Fikayo Tomori and Nemanja Matic received yellow cards that will see them suspended for the midweek round.
There was a huge Roma chance on 34 minutes, as Leonardo Spinazzola pulled back from the by-line for Lorenzo Pellegrini to score from six yards, but it was accidentally charged down by teammate Tammy Abraham.
Davide Calabria fired an angled drive across the face of goal and Pellegrini’s volley was scuffed, while Tomori prodded a Sandro Tonali corner wide before going off with a bruised thigh.
Roma went on the counter with Spinazzola, Calabria getting just enough on it to stop Stephan El Shaarawy making the most of it. Milan also threatened, Alexis Saelemaekers volleying over from Leao’s cross when unmarked at the back post.
Abraham failed to make the most of it after robbing Theo Hernandez to sprint on the counter, Simon Kjaer charging down the Pellegrini effort, and Spinazzola doing the same on Calabria.
Roger Ibanez risked a red card for his studs-up lunge on Saelemaekers, while Giroud’s free kick was deflected for a corner.
In stoppages, Mady Camara horribly scuffed wide from the edge of the area, but it wasn’t over because Roma struck at the 94th minute.
Zeki Celik started the run from midfield after De Ketelaere was robbed, placing the slide-rule pass for Abraham, who took one touch to get away from Pierre Kalulu and place a precise finish into the bottom corner.
A game with no shots on target from either side until stoppages exploded into life, as at the 97th minute Leao crossed to the back post for a cushioned Saelemaekers volley between Rui Patricio’s legs to equalise.
Roma 1-1 Milan
Abraham 94 (R), Saelemaekers 97 (M)
Player statistic
15' | Fikayo Tomori | |||
Nemanja Matic | 24' |
Roger Ibañez | 71' | |||
75' | Rade Krunic | |||
Bryan Cristante | 83' | |||
Tammy Abraham (Assist: Zeki Celik) |
90+3' | |||
90+7' | Alexis Saelemaekers (Assist: Rafael Leão) |