Lazio midfielder Hernanes scored a superb first-half goal then turned villain by missing one penalty and giving away another in a pulsating 1-1 derby draw with Roma last night.
Thirty-six-year-old forward Francesco Totti converted Roma's penalty but his side missed out on a win when Erik Lamela contrived to head over from two metres with the goal at his mercy late in the game.
Lazio, who won the previous three Rome derbies, played the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Giuseppe Biava was sent off for a second bookable offence.
The match was preceded by fan violence and police said two people were stabbed when rival groups of fans clashed in the city. Television pictures showed police in riot gear scuffling with a group of supporters who threw rocks and bottles near the Stadio Olimpico.
Lazio, seven points adrift of a Champions League playoff place, dominated the first half and Hernanes put them ahead with a superb effort in the 16th minute, cutting inside a defender and scoring from 25 metres.
Roma, lucky to be just one goal down at half-time, had an ever bigger let off four minutes after halftime when Marquinho handled in the area, only for Hernanes to nonchalantly side-foot wide from the penalty spot.
That proved the turning point and Hernanes compounded his mistake eight minutes later by tripping Miralem Pjanic in the area.
Totti, who made his Roma debut just over 20 years ago, made no mistake, placing a low shot just inside the left hand post for the ninth Rome derby goal of his career and his 12th goal of the season.
Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti did well to save a Totti free kick at the foot of the post before Lamela somehow headed over following a Totti corner.
P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
Juventus | 31 | 22 | 5 | 4 | 61 | 20 | 71 |
Napoli | 31 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 57 | 29 | 62 |
Milan | 31 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 55 | 34 | 58 |
Fiorentina | 31 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 56 | 39 | 52 |
Lazio | 31 | 15 | 6 | 10 | 40 | 37 | 51 |
Inter | 31 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 50 | 43 | 50 |
Roma | 31 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 61 | 52 | 48 |
Catania | 31 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 40 | 38 | 46 |
Udinese | 31 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 41 | 39 | 45 |
Parma | 31 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 39 | 39 | 39 |
Cagliari | 31 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 37 | 49 | 39 |
Bologna | 31 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 41 | 40 | 37 |
Atalanta (-2) | 31 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 34 | 45 | 37 |
Sampdoria (-1) | 31 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 36 | 38 | 36 |
Torino (-1) | 31 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 39 | 43 | 36 |
Chievo | 31 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 32 | 48 | 35 |
Siena (-6) | 31 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 31 | 42 | 27 |
Palermo | 31 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 28 | 44 | 27 |
Genoa | 31 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 31 | 49 | 27 |
Pescara | 31 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 63 | 21 |