Capital disappointment. Rome and Lazio fail to win and indeed take a clear step back from last day, in which they seemed to have found themselves with heavy successes. Yesterday, however, only two draws arrived which, opponents in hand, are worth little more than two defeats. The Giallorossi failed to beat Chievo despite a 2-goal lead, the Biancocelesti did not go beyond a gray 0-0 home draw against little Carpi. The disappointing season therefore continues on both banks of the Tiber: Roma are now 6 points behind the top (with 4 teams ahead), Lazio navigates the mediocrity of their 10th place in the standings.
“We threw away another two points – sighed Rudi Garcia. – We were two goals up and we shouldn't have conceded all those chances to Chievo. We had some absences but I thought I'd win anyway, now we play immediately and we have to think about making up the lost ground". Bentegodi's 3-3 smacks of a wasted opportunity. Roma, despite the numerous defections (in addition to the expected Nainggolan, Pjanic, Dzeko and Totti, De Rossi's was added at the last moment), had started the game very well, taking the lead after just 7'.
Decisive, just like against Genoa, the young Sadiq, deployed due to lack of alternatives by Garcia and proved to be more than adequate for the category. And when in the 37th minute Florenzi, taking advantage of a sensational mistake by Cesar, beat Bizzarri with a cross right foot, many thought of a Roma out of the crisis, ready to relaunch their candidacy for the Scudetto. But at the end of the first half Paloschi's goal (44') reopened the games and the yellow and red injuries, both from a tactical and mental point of view.
Once under pressure Garcia's team are incapable of managing matches and the second half of Bentegodi gave yet another demonstration. In the 58th minute Dainelli made it 2-2 from a corner kick, thus eliminating the Giallorossi's double lead. There Roma got back to play and in the 71st minute Iago Falque brought them back up with a nice shot from the edge of the area. All finished? Not a chance. In the 85th minute Pepe made it 3-3 with a free-kick by scoring a historic goal: the first with the (decisive) help of goal line technology, which was crucial for establishing the truth.
If Rome cries, Lazio has little to laugh about. The 0-0 against Carpi marks one of the lowest points of Pioli's management, at least in terms of play. Even zero (!) shots towards Belec's goal, a disturbing fact for those who, until recently, had almost everyone in the Olimpico bowl on the ropes. The Biancocelesti's performance was disarming, unable to build noteworthy chances and several times at the risk of even conceding a goal from Carpi, penultimate in the standings with just 11 points.
“Rhythm and intensity were lacking, we had to have a very different impact – Stefano Pioli's bitter comment. – You can't always expect to win in the second half, in the past we managed to do much better things". True, that's why the crisis in Lazio worries the environment in a way that hasn't happened for years. Reducing everything to market rumors would be an understatement (the problems have been dragging on for months), but the big names in the team (above all Felipe Anderson) seem to have their heads elsewhere.
The next round will see Roma host Milan and Lazio on the Fiorentina pitch: very delicate challenges, practically from inside or outside. For the seasonal ambitions and for the two coaches, never so poised in their respective Roman experiences.
