Serie A Roundup: Roma draw with Salernitana but CL hopes boosted by Juventus penalty

MILAN — Roma was held at house by Salernitana to 2-2 in Serie A and nonetheless had its hopes of sneaking into the Champions League boosted on Monday.

Salernitana twice took the lead via Antonio Candreva and Boulaye Dia however was twice pegged again by targets from Stephan El Shaarawy and Nemanja Matic.

Roma began the day seven factors off then fourth-placed Inter Milan however, regardless of dropping factors, moved to inside 4 factors of the highest 4 after Juventus was hit by a 10-point penalty for false accounting.

That noticed Juventus drop from second to seventh, nevertheless it might leapfrog Roma and Atalanta into fifth with a win at lowly Empoli late Monday. Two rounds stay.

Roma may also qualify for the Champions League if it beats Sevilla within the Europa League remaining on May 31.

Roma was on a five-match winless run and received off to a depressing begin on the Stadio Olimpico when Salernitana took the lead in spectacular trend within the twelfth minute. Lassana Coulibaly floated a protracted ball excessive and Candreva sprung the offside lure, waited for it to dip, earlier than sticking his leg out to volley it into the highest proper nook.

Jose Mourinho made a triple change on the break and had a direct affect. Two minutes after the restart, a kind of substitutes, Lorenzo Pellegrini, noticed his free kick saved and El Shaarawy fireplace house the rebound.

Salernitana restored its benefit seven minutes later with one other stylish end. Krzysztof Piatek’s shot got here off Roma defender Chris Smalling and into the trail of Dia, who flicked it in with the again of his heel.

Matic — one other one of many halftime substitutes — rescued some extent for Roma seven minutes from time.