Paulo Dybala scored a 89th minute penalty to seal a Europa League berth for Roma next season, as they defeated Spezia 2-1 in a dramatic game at the Stadio Olympico.
The result means relegation threatened Spezia will face off against Hellas Verona in a relegation play-off next week that will decide who stays up next season.
Jose Mourinho’s side needed to win tonight to fend off Juventus from overtaking them in the Serie A standings, with Max Allegri’s team trailing them by just one point in seventh place before kick-off. The Old Lady went on to secure a 1-0 win against Udinese to keep the pressure on the I Giallorossi.
But it was Roma who went on to clinch the final Europa League spot, even after Spezia defender Dimitrios Nikolaou stunned the hosts early on, heading in after just six minutes to put them a goal down.
While fans inside the stadium erupted in celebration at full-time, the win came at a cost, as Tammy Abraham suffered a nasty looking knee injury and was removed from the field looking in a lot of pain.
Paulo Dybala (pictured) scored a late penatly to give Roma a 2-1 win against Spezia on Sunday
The win meant Roma will now qualify for next-year’s Europa League after their agonising loss in the final to Sevilla this week
It was a dramatic game that had several penalty shouts, a red card, lots of drama and some great goals
There were plenty of talking points coming into this match, most of them surrounding the Roma manager, with questions recently rising over whether Mourinho will stay at the Serie A club next season.
The 60-year-old has also been heavily criticised this week after he fired abusive language towards referee Anthony Taylor following Roma’s Europa League final loss against Sevilla.
And while he has since been charged by UEFA for his conduct, he was not on the touchline at the Stadio Olympico tonight, as he is currently serving a ban having received his fifth yellow card of the season during his side’s 2-1 defeat by Fiorentina last week.
Despite that, fans inside the stadium applauded the head coach, letting out a huge cheer when the Italian’s name was announced over the tannoy, before revealing a banner that read ‘We are with you Mou’.
But Roma were perhaps still feeling the effects from their agonising loss in Thursday’s final, going a goal down not long after kick-off.
Dybala (pictured middle) was at the centre of the drama, making several penalty shouts while scoring the winning goal during the match
Jose Mourinho, who has been heavily criticised this week after he verbally abused Anthony Taylor, was not in the dug out as he served a suspension
Dimitrios Nikolaou (right) scored the first goal for Spezia putting them 1-0 up after six minutes
Spezia launched a free-kick inside Roma’s penalty area with Mehdi Bourabia collecting the ball on the right-side of the box.
Showing some excellent vision, he swung a fast cross past the goalmouth towards Nikolaou who meet the ball with his head and pumped it and past Mile Svilar in net to score his first goal of the season.
Spezia were given a let off soon after, with Stephan El Shaarawy deflecting a threatening 25-yard effort onto the cross bar. The Italian was one of four replacements for Roma following their midweek defeat, coming in for Leonardo Spinazzola, while Abraham, Rui Patricio and Nemanja Matic also started on the bench.
The home side started to grow into the game a little more, taking the majority possession, but struggled to create chances. Andrea Belotti arrived inside the penalty area twice in quick succession putting his hands up for two penalty shouts. But neither were given.
El Shaarawy had a more substantial appeal soon after, breaking through before clashing with Kelvin Amian Adou inside the area and going to ground. Again the referee waved play on.
Roma were wasteful with their opportunities, but that was a testament to Spezia’s defending, with Leonardo Semplici’s side frustrating the Europa League finalists for large parts in the opening 45 minutes.
Mourinho’s side would finally break the deadlock just before half-time, with Nicola Zalewski whipping a curling ball in towards the goal, with Edoardo Bove seeming to flick it in with his head. He wheeled away claiming the goal, but on second impressions, it was difficult to see if he had made contact, or even, changed the direction of the ball flight.
In any event, Roma would go in at half-time having clawed their way into the match, but should have really been a couple of goals ahead, having had 71 percent possession and 10 attempts on goal in the first half.
They started a lot more brightly in the second period, with Zalewski again proving a handful, playing a wonderful pass across the face of the goal towards Lorenzo Pellegrini, who couldn’t quite wrap his foot around the ball to tap in.
Belotti was substituted in the 63rd minute meaning he would end his first season with Roma having not scored a Serie A goal, despite making 30 league appearances this season.
Mid-way through the second half, news trickled through the stadium that Juventus had scored, putting Roma out of the Europa League places at that moment and frustrations soon started to boil over on the Roma touchline in what was a frantic few minutes.
Things almost went from bad to worse as M’Bala Nzola arrived in the penalty area in a dangerous position and could have snagged the winning goal for Spezia. Instead, he couldn’t keep his shot down and it flew over the bar. Roma, meanwhile, went up the other end of the pitch, with Dybala breaking through the opposition back-line before tangling with Arkadiusz Reca and going to ground inside the box. He appealed to the referee for another penalty, but again to no avail.
Roma equalised before half-time with Edoardo Bove (second from right) appearing to head in Nicola Zalewski’s (not pictured) pass
But Dybala was the match-winner scoring in the 89th minute to secure sixth place for Roma
Dybala has now scored 12 times in the league for Roma and was pivotal in attack for them today
Spezia, meanwhile, will play Hellas Verona in a relegation play-off next week to decide who will leave the Serie A this season
The Argentine was in the thick of the action just five minutes later, receiving a yellow card after he clashed with several opposition players. The 29-year-old then had another crack at goal testing Jeroen Zoet in net with a stunning long-range effort.
The Spezia goalkeeper would be called upon again to deny Roma another close opportunity moments later, but with the home team knocking on the door, his side ultimately succumbed to a late spot-kick.
El Shaarawy was brought down inside the Spezia box by Amian, who received a second yellow card, reducing the away side to 10-men.
Dybala converted the pressure spot-kick sending his strike into the top-left corner to score his 12th league goal of the season, while securing Roma’s spot in sixth in the Serie A table as well as their place in the Europa League next season.
Despite an extra eight minutes of added time, Spezia could not muster an equaliser and will now go toe-to-toe with Hellas Verona next week in a relegation play-off, after they were beaten 3-1 by AC Milan at the San Siro.
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