Coppa Italia | Roma 2-1 Cremonese: Comeback for a Derby

Romelu Lukaku and a generous Paulo Dybala penalty allowed Roma to overturn Cremonese and set up a Coppa Italia quarter-final against rivals Lazio.

The Grigiorossi had eliminated Roma from the Coppa Italia last season and also beaten them in Serie A, so this was not a fixture to be taken for granted. Evan Ndicka was already at the Africa Cup of Nations, with Houssem Aouar, Chris Smalling, Tammy Abraham and Marash Kumbulla injured, while the visitors missed Cristian Buonaiuto, Emanuele Valeri, Alessio Brambilla, Mouhamadou Sarr and Charles Pickel.

There were remarkably four Cremonese players booked in the opening 16 minutes, then Lorenzo Pellegrini’s free kick was palmed out of the top corner.

Zeki Celik made a crucial interception to prevent David Okereke tapping in, but Roma had a chaotic double opportunity when first Andreas Jungdal made the stunning save on Belotti sliding in at the back post, then Pellegrini smashed the rebound onto the crossbar.

Diego Llorente took one for the team with a desperate tackle, booked for taking down Zanimacchia on the counter-attack, his free kick then just over the bar.

Cremonese took the lead after some chaotic defending failed to clear their lines, Paolo Ghiglione knocking it down for Frank Tsadjout to flick it around Cristante and score from six yards.

Tuia made a decisive last-ditch block to stop Belotti scoring from eight yards and Zanimacchia curled wide.

Roma had to change something, so Jose Mourinho made a triple substitution, including Paulo Dybala in front of a four-man defence.

It almost paid off immediately, Dybala’s slide-rule pass finding Lukaku only for a brave Valentin Antov defensive block.

Roma hit the woodwork again, as Stephan El Shaarawy’s right-foot angled drive was deflected off Antov onto the inside of the far post.

Mile Svilar also had to come flying out to stop Massimo Coda going clear on a long ball from the Cremonese goalkeeper.

Dybala and El Shaarawy ballooned over, while Leandro Paredes saw his daisy-cutter deflected off target, but Roma finally equalised with a well-worked team move.

Lukaku’s dummy allowed the Dybala pass through for Sardar Azmoun, who immediately laid it off for the Belgian to sweep home.

They were pouring forward and received a rather generous penalty for the mistimed Leonardo Sernicola tackle on Leonardo Spinazzola, as there was very little contact. Dybala converted powerfully into the bottom corner to turn the game around.

Even the goalkeeper went up for the final corner, but El Shaarawy failed to find the net of an open goal on the counter when struck by cramp.

Roma 2-1 Cremonese

Tsadjout 37 (C), Lukaku 77 (R), Dybala pen 84 (R)