Venezia caused a huge upset with this 3-2 thriller of a victory that plunges Roma into more trouble, although there could easily have been more goals for both sides.
The Giallorossi were struggling in Serie A and Europe, plus injuries to Matias Vina, Riccardo Calafiori, Leonardo Spinazzola and Chris Smalling prompted Jose Mourinho to switch to a three-man defence. Ethan Ampadu returned from suspension for Venezia, but Dennis Johnsen and Antonio Junior Vacca were still out of action.
It was the perfect start for the Lagunari, as Mattia Aramu whipped in a free kick and Mattia Caldara stuck out a leg in front of Bryan Cristante to prod it past Rui Patricio.
Just three minutes later, Ridgeciano Haps went into a clumsy sliding tackle on Tammy Abraham and the referee awarded a penalty. However, after a long wait with Jordan Veretout standing on the spot, VAR confirmed there was an offside in the build-up, Lorenzo Pellegrini’s heel slightly over.
Eldor Shomurodov drilled wide, but there was a chaotic move when Abraham’s angled drive bounced off the base of the far post, Stephan El Shaarawy’s follow-up was cleared off the line and then Veretout blasted over.
Venezia should’ve been 2-0 up on 35 minutes, as Okereke shrugged off Marash Kumbulla only to curl inches wide of the far post.
Roma got their deserved equaliser on the stroke of half-time, as Sergio Romero parried the Pellegrini tap-in on Abraham’s header down, but could do nothing on Eldor Shomurodov’s follow-up.
The turnaround was complete in stoppages, Abraham chesting down Shomurodov’s cross from the left, turning Ceccaroni and firing in from six yards.
Shomurodov thought he’d made it 3-1 after the restart with a looping header on a knocked-on free kick, but was denied by an acrobatic Haps goal-line clearance.
El Shaarawy scuffed the Shomurodov assist from 12 yards, allowing Romero to make the save, while Sofian Kiyine skimmed the upright from the edge of the box after combining with Ampadu.
It was a warning, because soon after Venezia received a penalty for Bryan Cristante clumsily bundling into the back of Caldara. Aramu sent Rui Patricio the wrong way to convert, meaning for the first time this season, the Lagunari scored two goals in a single Serie A game.
Roma almost restored their advantage moments later, Romero bravely rushing out to deny Abraham on a Pellegrini assist and Carles Perez horribly scuffing the rebound wide.
Abraham grazed the upright from 10 yards with a shot that looked as if it had to go in, before the swerve took it inches wide.
Barely 60 seconds later, Venezia had made it 3-2 when Okereke sprung the offside trap on a ball over the top and kept his cool to beat Rui Patricio after a little step-over.
Venezia almost got a fourth, as on two consecutive corners, Rui Patricio had to make two extraordinary reaction saves on Caldara and then Okereke.
Thomas Henry came off the bench and clipped the crossbar with his first touch, a splendid volley. At the other end, Cristante’s attempt was deflected over for a corner, along with the Perez volley that struck Gianluca Busio to skim the bar.
Venezia 3-2 Roma
Caldara 3 (V), Shomurodov 43 (R), Abraham 45+2 (R), Aramu pen 64 (V), Okereke 74 (V)
Why does the headline always refer to Mourinho? Its AS Roma that sank in the Laguna not Mourinho. With other coaches I dont read “Sarri beaten in Florence” for example. Give it a rest. Stop creating confrontation.
@Son_Man Because Mourinho is much bigger than Roma lol
That’s what you get with Tammy Abraham, he is no dzeko
Good game Venezia!
You don’t read that Son_Man… because Sarri didn’t get beaten in Florence 😉
hahaha Mourinho!!! whom will he blame this time? ref? fans? or the penalty that was not given against Juve for the supposed delight handball?? Again, he is just a POS, controversy creator. Roma wasting time with him
You mean *thinks* in the Laguna?! =D
Exactly, Juulesy,
I sink that Mourinho has a good team so he should avoid oversinking or else he will sink. What do you sink?
I mean, –sink. SINK!
(…I have no problem with accents, have a strong one myself …But Mou’s first job at Barca was as translator!😲 Imagine your English teacher repeatedly saying “I sink this, I sink that…”
Mou intentionally doesn’t want to fix this. At least, that’s what I sink.🤔)