Roma and Juve share spoils in six-goal thriller as Old Lady snatch draw at the death

Roma's Donyell Malen in action with Juventus' Pierre Kalulu
Roma's Donyell Malen in action with Juventus' Pierre KaluluReuters / Guglielmo Mangiapane

Federico Gatti’s dramatic stoppage-time equaliser ensured Juventus recovered from 3-1 down to secure a 3-3 draw away at AS Roma, keeping their UEFA Champions League (UCL) qualification hopes alive, despite extending a winless league run to four games (D2, L2).

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side welcomed a Bianconeri team that was perhaps physically and psychologically damaged by an exhausting two-hour shift in midweek, which ultimately saw them exit Europe’s premier cup competition at the hands of Galatasaray.

In turn, Roma started the sharper of the two outfits and had the game’s first opportunity, after Niccolo Pisilli surged through on goal and forced Mattia Perin into a smart save, before Lorenzo Pellegrini agonisingly blazed his follow-up effort over the bar.

This seemed to spark Juve into action, but neither Francisco Conceicao nor Kenan Yıldız could find the target from promising openings.

There was no sign of the tempo slowing down as the half wore on, with Malen denied at the near post by Perin after Gianluca Mancini headed the ball into the Dutchman’s path from Bryan Cristante’s cross.

The end-to-end nature only continued as half-time approached, following further off-target headers for Weston McKennie and Bryan Cristante, but it was the hosts who broke the deadlock in emphatic fashion in the 39th minute, when Pisilli played the ball out to Wesley, who curled home an unstoppable right-footed strike past Perin from the edge of the box.

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However, it took a mere two minutes after the restart for Conceicao to completely upstage Wesley and restore parity with a potential Goal of the Season winner. Teun Koopmeiners’ free-kick was cleared into the path of Bremer, who laid the ball on a plate for the Portuguese to unleash a ferocious left-footed volley past Mile Svilar.

Remarkably, it was only his third Serie A goal of the season, but the euphoria from it was short-lived, as Evan Ndicka regained Roma’s lead just seven minutes later. Pellegrini played a one-two with Pisilli from a corner, and his subsequent delivery into the box was expertly dispatched by the Ivorian from close range.

More pandemonium ensued when Roma moved two goals in front, courtesy of Donyell Malen’s delightful dinked finish over Perin after latching onto Manu Kone's perfectly-weighted through ball.

It was his sixth goal since arriving on loan from Aston Villa in January, and had seemingly knocked the stuffing out of Luciano Spalletti’s shell-shocked side.

But Jeremie Boga had other ideas, though, netting his first Juve goal with a well-taken strike at the far post, after Zeki Celik inadvertently flicked on Edon Zhegrova’s cross into the Ivorian’s path.

Juventus' Federico Gatti scores their third goal
Juventus' Federico Gatti scores their third goalReuters / Guglielmo Mangiapane

But just when Roma looked like holding on for all three points, Gatti converted from deep range after a deep free-kick into the box, as the away end erupted into raptures.

Roma are now three points clear of fifth-placed Como, while Juventus are four points behind the Giallorossi in sixth and remain well within striking range.

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Flashscore Man of the Match: Niccolo Pisilli (Roma)

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