Roma fumbled a lead and went 2-1 down after a Rui Patricio howler, but Bryan Cristante’s header just crossed the line in stoppages for a dramatic 2-2 draw against 10-man Sassuolo.
Both teams crashed out of the Coppa Italia midweek and were coming off poor Serie A form too. Gianluca Scamacca and Giacomo Raspadori were suspended for the hosts, with Kaan Ayhan, Filip Djuricic and Jeremie Toljan injured, while the Giallorossi had Nicolò Zaniolo on a ban, plus Roger Ibanez and Leonardo Spinazzola on the treatment table.
It was a strong start from the hosts, Domenico Berardi testing Rui Patricio from distance, then Hamed Junior Traore had a goal disallowed, as the ball hit his arm as he controlled with the first shot charged down.
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Berardi again fired not far wide before Andrea Consigli denied Felix Afena-Gyan, while Roma also had a goal disallowed for Chris Smalling’s offside as he knocked down a free kick for Tammy Abraham’s tap-in.
Roma were awarded a penalty in first half stoppages when Vlad Chiriches had a raised arm to charge down a Matias Vina cross, so Abraham converted to put the visitors in front.
Straight after the restart, Sassuolo were literally gifted an equaliser. Even after the deflection off Smalling, Traore’s cross was still not really going on target, until Rui Patricio clumsily pushed it into his own net at the near post.
Sassuolo had penalty appeals of their own rejected for Vina’s coming-together with Mert Muldur after a delightful flick.
Davide Frattesi should’ve at least got it on target, but horribly scuffed his finish when meeting a Traore through ball.
Traore was comfortably the best player on the pitch and got his deserved goal when sneaking in front of Rick Karsdorp to chest down a Berardi cross and fire in from 12 yards.
However, Sassuolo then went down to 10 men for captain Gian Marco Ferrari’s second bookable offence, even though contact with Abraham seemed to be minimal at best.
Mkhitaryan blasted over from a promising position and Pellegrini couldn’t quite get on the end of an Ainsley Maitland-Niles cross.
Deep into stoppages, Roma snatched a point when Bryan Cristante got his head to the Jordan Veretout corner at the near post, it was volleyed clear by Maxime Lopez, but only after crossing the line.
Sassuolo 2-2 Roma
Abraham pen 45 (R), Smalling og 47 (S), Traore 73 (S), Cristante 94 (R)
Sent off: Ferrari 78 (S)