Dzeko scores, Roma celebrates. The Giallorossi beat Shakhtar and thus qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League, a goal that had been missing for 10 years and which ennobles all of Italian football. In fact, we haven't brought two teams this far in the most important Europe since the 2006/07 season, and if it was legitimate to expect it from Juve, it must be said that the premises were quite different for Roma.
In August, after the group stage draw, only the bravest hypothesized he could reach the second round, but now he is even among the best 8 in the Cup and can even dream of advancing further. Yes, because at this point it will be first of all the psychophysical condition that will make the difference and the Giallorossi, after the period of crisis between December and January, have found it again in a big way. Yesterday we needed a "mature" game, to be won (a draw would have qualified Shakhtar) without however getting anxious and Di Francesco's team definitely did it.
“What I liked the most is that we played like men, this is the most important aspect to aspire to certain goals – commented the coach. – The boys didn't concede anything, they played a game that was attentive both from a technical and a tactical point of view. Now I want to continue dreaming, having reached this point the only opponent I want to avoid is fear”.
Waiting for the draw (Friday at 12) and thinking about the quarterfinals, however, it's time to enjoy yesterday's victory, born of intelligence and pure instinct. The first was seen both at 0-0 (serene management of the ball without getting caught up in time trial anxiety) and ahead by a goal (no mad bolt but good use of space), the second at the time of the episode " right”, the one who decided the match.
In the 52nd minute Strootman saw Dzeko's deep movement, the ball with the rev counter that the Bosnian sent behind Pyatov for the 1-0 that blew up the Olimpico. High school play, one of the few on an evening different from the forecasts (a more open-faced match was expected) but more than enough to regulate Fonseca's Shakhtar, who went to the capital to take qualification, certainly not for a trip of pleasure.
The most striking fact of the match concerns the shots on goal conceded by Roma: zero, the first time in its European history. Has Di Francesco's team finally made the leap in quality? It's still too early to tell, but while waiting for the next exam, it's definitely time to celebrate.
