Roma midfielder Adem Ljajic scores from the penalty spot against Sassuolo last night.Adem Ljajic scored deep into injury-time to rescue a point for second-placed Roma who had to come from two goals behind and with a man down to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Sassuolo in Serie A yesterday.
Ljajic had begun the comeback with a 78th minute penalty for a Roma side reduced to 10 men six minutes after the break when midfielder Daniele De Rossi was sent off for a second booking.
Rudi Garcia’s team stayed three points behind leaders and titleholders Juventus, who drew 0-0 at Fiorentina on Friday, after dropping their first points at home in the league this season.
Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman started his first game for Roma since last March when he injured his left knee, forcing him to miss the World Cup.
Simone Zaza silenced the Stadio Olimpico crowd with two goals in three minutes, the first courtesy of a blunder by Morgan De Sanctis.
The Roma goalkeeper took too long in trying to clear the ball and Zaza intercepted and slid the ball into the net in the 15th minute. Three minutes later, Zaza escaped the offside trap and powered his shot past a helpless De Sanctis.
Roma’s best chance of the half was a Jose Holebas effort from a tight angle which Andrea Consigli just tipped onto the crossbar.
Roma seemed to be chasing a lost cause after De Rossi’s dismissal but a controversial penalty with 13 minutes to go, awarded for handball by Sime Vrsaljko, allowed Ljajic to reduce the arrears.
The Serbia international found the back of the net again in the third minute of stoppage time, side-footing home his sixth league goal of the season after Alessandro Florenzi got to the byline and pulled the ball back.
“We are disappointed,” said Ljajic. “I’m not sure what happened at the start, we didn’t seem ready. But after going down by two goals we dominated. Too bad we came away with just the one point.”
Results
Serie A
Played yesterday
Roma 2
Ljajic 78 pen., 90;
Sassuolo 2
Zaza 15, 18;
HT: 0-2. Att: 38,787.
Red cards: De Rossi (R) 50; Vrsaljko (S) 90.
Torino 2
Martinez 36; Glik 64;
Palermo 2
Rigoni 16; Dybala 44;
HT: 1-2. Att: 16,000.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Juventus | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 5 | 35 |
| Roma | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 11 | 32 |
| Napoli | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 16 | 23 |
| Genoa | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 23 |
| Sampdoria | 13 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 10 | 22 |
| Milan | 13 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 23 | 17 | 21 |
| Lazio | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 16 | 20 |
| Fiorentina | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 20 |
| Sassuolo | 14 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 19 |
| Udinese | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 17 | 18 |
| Palermo | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 22 | 18 |
| Inter | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 19 | 17 |
| Empoli | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 14 |
| Verona | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 22 | 14 |
| Torino | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 13 |
| Cagliari | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 24 | 11 |
| Atalanta | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 11 |
| Chievo | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 10 |
| Cesena | 13 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 22 | 8 |
| Parma | 13 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 32 | 6 |
Today – 15.00
Atalanta vs Cesena
Genoa vs Milan
Napoli vs Empoli - 12.30
Parma vs Lazio
Inter vs Udinese - 20.45
Tomorrow
Cagliari vs Chievo - 19.00
Verona vs Sampdoria - 21.00
Next fixtures
Saturday: 18.00 Palermo vs Sassuolo; 20.45 Lazio vs Atalanta.
Sunday: 12.30 Juventus vs Sampdoria; 15.00 Genoa vs Roma; Parma vs Cagliari; Udinese vs Verona. 18.00 Cesena vs Fiorentina. 20.45 Milan vs Napoli.
Monday, December 15: 19.00 Empoli vs Torino. 21.00 Chievo vs Inter.
Serie B
Avellino vs Crotone - 1-2
Bari vs Carpi - 0-1
Catania vs Bologna - 2-2
Perugia vs Latina - 0-0
Pro Vercelli vs Pescara - 0-4
Spezia vs Cittadella - 0-0
Varese vs Entella - 2-2
Lanciano vs Trapani - 2-2
Tomorrow
Modena vs Livorno - 15.00
Vicenza vs Brescia - 17.30
Standings: Carpi 33; Frosinone 29; Bologna 27; Spezia, Trapani 26; Livorno, Lanciano, Avellino 25; Perugia 24; Ternana 22; Modena, Pro Vercelli 21; Pescara, Catania, Vicenza 20; Bari, Brescia 19; Crotone, Entella 17; Varese 16; Cittadella, Latina 15.
Lega Pro
Group A: Sassari vs AlbinoLeffe 2-0; Giana vs Novara 1-2; Arezzo vs Como 0-1; Pro Patria vs Renate 1-1; Mantova vs Sud Tirol 0-1.
Group B: Pistoiese vs Pisa 2-0; Forli vs L’Aquila 2-2; Tuttocuoio vs Spal 1-0; Pro Piacenza vs Pontedera 1-1.
Group C: Savoia vs Reggina 2-0; Martina vs Cosenza 1-1; Melfi vs Lupa Roma 3-0; Benevento vs Matera 3-3.