Late Nemanja Matic equaliser earns point for Roma as Jose Mourinho’s men held by Salernitana

Salernitana earned a well-deserved 2-2 draw with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, leaving Jose Mourinho’s side without a win in six Serie A matches.

A Lassana Coulibaly through ball found Andrea Candreva’s run in behind the Roma defence on 12 minutes and the ex-Lazio man finished with aplomb, leaving the ground to divert the ball past the stranded goalkeeper. It was the only goal of an unremarkable first half.

Mourinho made a triple substitution at the break and it quickly made a difference. Lorenzo Pellegrini, one of the new faces, had a free kick saved but Stephan El Shaarawy was on hand to convert the rebound.

Roma quickly lost that momentum and went behind again when Dia beat Rui Patricio with an improvised backheel for his 16th goal of an impressive debut season in Serie A.

Yet another Roma replacement – Nemanja Matic – scored through a crowd of bodies from a late corner to ensure the hosts avoided defeat.

Bryan Cristante might have won in it stoppage time had he waited for the ball to drop rather than attempt an ambitious header, while much of the rest of the seven added minutes was taken up by a scuffle following a cynical Nicola Zalewski foul on Dia. Both were booked and a Salernitana coach shown a red card.

The result looked to mean Roma could no longer finish in the top four, so all hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League would rest on winning the Europa League, although they can still end up fourth if Juventus’ latest points deduction stands.

Roma have 60 points and for now are sixth, above Juve on head-to-head record. Salernitana, who were already safe from relegation, have 39 points in 15th.

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PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Andrea Candreva (Salernitana)

Candreva opened the scoring in style, played a role in Salernitana’s second and was generally a source of control whenever on the ball.

PLAYER RATINGS

Roma: Patricio 6, Bove 6, Smalling 6, Ibanez 5, Zalewski 7, Tahirovic 5, Camara 6, El Shaarawy 7, Wijnaldum 4, Solbakken 4, Belotti 5. Subs: Pellegrini 7, Matic 7, Llorente 7, Abraham 6, Cristante 5.

Salernitana: Ochoa 6, Daniliuc 6, Gyomber 6, Pirola 6, Kastanos 6, Coulibaly 7, Bohinen 7, Bradaric 6, Dia 8, Candreva 8, Piatek 6. Subs: Mazzocchi 6, Lovato 6, Vilhena 5, Botheim n/a, Troost-Ekong n/a.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

SALERNITANA SCORE STUNNER 12′ – Standing on halfway, Coulibaly plays a super clipped through ball and the leaping Candreva provides an even better finish – on the volley, using the pace on the ball to strand the goalkeeper.

ROMA EQUALISE, OR DO THEY? 45+1′ – Ibanez, six yards out, fails to make a clean connection from a corner but reacts quickest after the ball hits Belotti and scoops the rebound home. However, it hit Belotti’s arms so the goal is ruled out after a VAR review.

ROMA EQUALISE FOR REAL THIS TIME 47′ – Ochoa parries a speculative free kick he really should catch and El Shaarawy reacts quickest, slamming home the rebound.

DIA RESTORES SALERNITANA LEAD 54′ – Piatek takes down a crossfield ball well, waits for support and then squares just behind Dia, but the Senegalese improves brilliantly and flicks into the far corner.

MATIC LEVELS FOR ROMA 83′ – Salernitana fail to clear their lines from a corner and Matic shoots through a crowd of bodies into the net.

BIG CHANCE FOR CRISTANTE 90+2′ – Cristante bursts forward and is on the end of an Abraham flick, but heads when he could perhaps have waited for the ball to drop and Ochoa therefore saves quite easily.

KEY STAT

Salernitana have left the Stadio Olimpico with four points this season, having earlier beaten Lazio.