Roma beat Lazio 2-1 in derby to secure 2nd in Serie A
Roma secured direct entry into the Champions League group phase with a 2-1 win over Lazio in a heated Serie A derby yesterday that included three late goals.
French centre back Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa decided the match with a header following a free kick in the 85th minute - his first goal of the season.
Roma had taken the lead in the 73rd when Juan Manuel Iturbe chipped in from within the box. Substitute Filip Djordjevic then equalised in the 82nd with a header.
With one round remaining, second-place Roma moved four points clear of third-place Lazio, which has a three-point advantage over Napoli - its opponent next weekend.
Lazio needs at least a draw at Napoli to secure third and qualify for the final Champions League playoff round, in August.
Roma has now won four of its last five matches, following a difficult stretch where it looked like Lazio or Napoli was going to take the lucrative direct Champions League spot.
Roma celebrated as if it had won the league, piling on top of each other with captain Francesco Totti putting on a celebratory T-shirt.
Lazio dominated the possession, with 62 per cent to Roma’s 37 per cent.
“In (five) days we’ve lost two matches that we shouldn’t have,” Lazio coach Stefano Pioli said. “These are tough losses and we’ve got to show our professionalism and bounce back and do what’s required.”
Despite the presence of 1,700 police officers in and around the stadium, two fans were bloodied in knife attacks outside the stadium before kickoff, the ANSA news agency reported.
In a sign of protest after insults from the club’s American president, James Pallotta, Roma fans didn’t produce any pre-match choreography. Instead, the hard-core “ultra” fans in the southern curve of the stadium held aloft a banner that read: “No choreography today for our dignity: a real president doesn’t insult his people.”
Lazio, which was the home side, had the best chance of the half five minutes in when Miroslav Klose missed the target from close range.
Lazio controlled play early on but for the most part the first half was a tense and physical affair with both sides resorting to counterattacks. Lazio fullback Dusan Basta had a good look at the goal early in the second half but his angled attempt went wide.
Ibarbo replaced Totti on the hour mark and had a great look at the goal 10 minutes later but sent the ball wide with one touch. A few minutes later, Ibarbo carried deep into Lazio’s area and crossed to Iturbe for the first goal.
Lazio’s equaliser was a textbook set piece. After a free kick from Felipe Anderson, Klose from the far post headed it back toward Djordjevic to send it in with a header himself.
The winner followed a free kick from substitute Miralem Pjanic that saw Roma place several players offside — but not Yanga-Mbiwa — and the defender headed it in near the far post.