adminROME. — AS Roma’s Mattia Destro scored a remarkable goal from near the halfway line to complete a 2-0 Italian Serie A soccer home win over Verona and upstage talismanic teammate Francesco Totti on his 38th birthday on Saturday. A goal kick from Roma’s Morgan De Sanctis landed just inside the Verona half before Destro controlled the ball, saw Verona goalkeeper Pierliugi Gollini off his line and scored with a high, dipping shot from 45 metres.
Roma maintained their 100 percent record after five Serie A games as did Juventus who won 3-0 at Atalanta, helped by two Carlos Tevez goals and a penalty save from Gianluigi Buffon which meant that the champions have still to concede a goal this season.
Roma visit Juventus in their next game on October 5.
Totti, in his 23rd season at his only professional club, twice came close to scoring, and substitute Alessandro Florenzi, who replaced the Roma captain just after the hour, broke the deadlock for the hosts at the Stadio Olimpico.
As usual, Totti, playing just behind the front two, was involved in nearly all Roma’s attacking moves.
He thought he had given his side the lead when the ball broke to him in the penalty area with Gollini stranded, but Frederik Sorensen cleared the ball off the line and it hit the post on its way to safety.
Totti was close again with a side-footed volley from Maicon’s pass early in the second half. This time, the 19-year-old Gollini turned the ball over.
Totti also had time to nutmeg an opponent before being taken off, as expected, just after the hour to a standing ovation.
Gervinho came on in the second half and his entrance gave fresh impetus to Roma, who until then had struggled to break down a well-marshalled Verona defence.
Florenzi broke through with 15 minutes left when he met a loose ball with a first time shot from 25 metres. Destro missed an easy chance after a mazy Gervinho run but atoned with his incredible strike shortly afterwards. — AFP.
Online Reporter