Without coach José Mourinho on the bench, Roma misplaced 4-3 at residence to Sassuolo on Sunday in a depressing weekend for groups chasing the Champions League qualifying spots from Serie A.
Armand Laurienté scored twice for Sassuolo earlier than Nicola Zalewski pulled one again. But Roma defender Marash Kumbulla was despatched off for violent conduct on the finish of the primary half and Domenico Berardi transformed the ensuing penalty.
Paulo Dybala received 10-man Roma again into the match initially of the second half however Andrea Pinamonti all however sealed the end result with quarter-hour remaining earlier than Georginio Wijnaldum’s late purpose.
Roma remained degree on factors with AC Milan, which hosts relegation-threatened Salernitana on Monday and will likely be seeking to take advantage of its rivals’ slipups.
Third-place Lazio was two factors forward of Roma and Milan after drawing at Bologna on Saturday, with Inter some extent additional forward following its shock loss at Spezia on Friday.
Roma’s subsequent Serie A match is towards Lazio and Mourinho will once more not be on the bench as he serves a two-match ban.
The residence aspect was seeking to transfer degree with Inter in second and virtually took the lead with lower than two minutes on the clock as Wijnaldum was despatched clear however he fired straight at Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli.
Instead it was Sassuolo which took the lead within the thirteenth minute as Roma misplaced the ball in midfield to spark a counterattack. Davide Frattesi’s shot was charged down by Chris Smalling, then Pinamonti’s effort was parried by goalkeeper Rui Patrício however Laurienté tapped within the rebound.
Laurienté doubled his and Sassuolo’s tally 5 minutes later however Roma recovered from the shock to tug one again within the twenty sixth when Zalewski’s volley bounced into the bottom and over Consigli.
Matters went from dangerous to worse for Roma on the stroke of halftime when Kumbulla was proven a straight pink card for a kick at Berardi, who then drilled residence the spotkick.
Roma introduced on Dybala at halftime and he had an instantaneous affect as he despatched a swerving effort into the highest proper nook 5 minutes later.
Sassuolo virtually instantly restored its two-goal benefit however Berardi’s shot clipped the crossbar. It did so within the seventy fifth when Laurienté turned supplier to arrange Pinamonti’s purpose.
Wijnaldum decreased the deficit in stoppage time.
RELEGATION FIGHT
Relegation-threatened Hellas Verona had the VAR to thank because it earned a 1-1 draw at residence to Monza.
Stefano Sensi scored for the guests to cancel out Simone Verdi’s opener within the second half.
Monza thought it had turned the match round fully when on-loan Verona ahead Gianluca Caprari netted 5 minutes later, however it was disallowed on a decent offside resolution.
Verona inched to inside 5 factors of security and Seventeenth-place Spezia.
Cremonese was degree with Sampdoria, 12 factors from security, after shedding 2-0 at residence to Fiorentina. Torino gained 2-0 at Lecce.
