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24 October 2007, by Tom Kundert

Clinical Roma make Sporting pay for defensive mistakes

Roma 2-1 Sporting

Despite matching their hosts for much of the 90 minutes Sporting fell to a 2-1 defeat against Roma last night.

An early Juan header put the Italians ahead, but Liedson equalised almost immediately with a brilliant header. Twenty minutes from the final whistle Vucinic pounced on a slip by Abel to score a fine winner for Roma.

Sporting lined up at the Estadio Olimpico without regular goalkeeper Stojkovic and the mainstay of their defence Anderson Polga, with Tiago and Miguel Veloso deputising respectively.

The rejigged defence looked far from solid early on, and Tonel gave away a free-kick in a dangerous position in the 6th minute. The ball was touched to Totti, but the striker was rapidly closed down by Liedson, who blocked the shot. The tackle left the Italian star limping, and Totti would be substituted later in the first half after failing to run off the knock.

On 13 minutes Mexes missed a glorious chance to put the home team in front when a corner kick fell kindly to him, but the centre-half blasted his effort over the bar from six yards out.

It proved only a temporary reprieve for Sporting however, as two minutes later another corner was headed into the net by Juan, with goalkeeper Tiago badly caught out in no man’s land.

Brilliant response

The response from Sporting was immediate and devastating. A quick passing movement involving Djalo, Romagnoli and Abel released the right-back, who produced a perfect cross from the byline. Liedson, although sandwiched by the two tall centre-backs, met the ball perfectly to send a stunning header thudding into the net.

Totti had a good chance to restore Roma’s lead two minutes later when he was played in on the right side of the penalty area, but his cross-shot skidded wide of the post. The match then settled into a more tactical affair, with few chances created by either team.

The second half started with a controversial incident as Roma were awarded a highly contentious penalty. Vucinic fell under a challenge from Tonel, and the Sporting players were incensed when the referee pointed to the spot. Justice was done however, when Tiago redeemed himself for his earlier error by diving to his right to deflect Mancini’s strike onto the post and smother the rebound.

Sporting then enjoyed their best period of the match, containing the Italians and making several incursions into the Roma danger area, with Romagnoli continuing his fine form of this season. On the hour mark the Argentine slipped a pass to Izmailov on the edge of the box, who struck a firm shot that Doni did well to turn round the post.

Five minutes later there was panic in the Sporting box as a series of crosses zipped across the goalmouth, with no Italian able to apply the finishing touch.

Vucinic strikes

Roma retook the lead in the 69th minute through Vucinic. Abel seemed to have the situation under control but slipped to allow the Montenegrin to steal the ball near the byline. The striker cut inside Tonel and fired a powerful shot past Tiago.

Paulo Bento sent on Paredes, Purovic and Celsinho, but the substitutes failed to kick-start any meaningful reaction from the Lions. Doni was only called into action to deal with a late Veloso free-kick, but the keeper had little difficulty in stopping the shot.

The result sees Sporting drop three points behind their opponents and victory in the return match in Lisbon in a fortnight is now a must if the Portuguese team are to stay in the competition beyond Christmas.

Roma:
Doni, Panucci, Mexes, Juan, Tonetto, De Rossi, Pizarro, Cassetti, Giuly, Mancini (Cicinho, 86), Totti (Vucinic, 35)
Yellow Cards: Cassetti, Vucinic, Juan

Sporting:
Tiago, Abel, Tonel, Miguel Veloso, Ronny (Purovic, 76), Joao Moutinho, Izmailov (Celsinho, 81), Romagnoli, Vukcevic (Paredes, 71), Liedson, Djalo
Yellow Cards: Tonel, Joao Moutinho

Goals:
[1-0] Juan, 15
[1-1] Liedson, 18
[2-1] Vucinic, 69