Watch as Chris Smalling nods in the decider, but both Roma and Cremonese had numerous scoring opportunities, hitting the frame of the goal and forcing fantastic saves.
Lorenzo Pellegrini, Paulo Dybala and Nicolò Zaniolo all tested Ionut Radu, while a remarkable Emanuele Valeri block denied Tammy Abraham.
Cyriel Dessers had a couple of bicycle-kicks just wide and thumped the crossbar on the volley, just as Stephan El Shaarawy’s strike was fingertipped onto the woodwork.
Smalling got his head to a Lorenzo Pellegrini corner to win the match, but there were still more saves and chances at both ends.