Catania 2-1 Roma: Vincenzo Montella's side fail to qualify for Champions League
Posted Monday, May 16, 2011 by YAHOO Sport
Roma’s hopes of Champions League qualification has ended after a deserved 2-1 defeat at the Angelo Massimino in Sicily.
Simone Loria gave his side the lead after just 15 minutes, but goals from Gustavo Bergessio and Alejandro Gomez late in the second-half consigned the visitors to a crushing loss.
The match began in free-flowing fashion, with both sides jostling for possession in the early stages. However, away coach Vincenzo Montella suffered a considerable blow just five minutes into the game, as defensive linchpin Juan hobbled off the field of play in favor for veteran Simone Loria.
Just four minutes later saw the game’s first chance, courtesy of the hosts. Maxi Lopez’s original curling attempt was well struck and hit the post, and Bergessio’s rebounded shot was stopped by Doni.
However, the Giallorossi hit back in clinical style through substitute Loria on ten minutes. Francesco Totti whipped in the free-kick after Marco Cassetti had fell to the ground, meeting the head of the ex-Siena man in bullet-like fashion to break the deadlock.
The half wore on, with both sides struggling to retain possession and get a foot hold on proceedings. The likes of Cassetti and Alejandro Gomez had snapshots at goal, whistling just wide.
The Sicilian’s began to dominate the half, as Diego Simeone’s men almost equalized around the half-hour mark. Argentine midfielder Pablo Ledesma collected Bergessio’s low cross and powered a shot at goal which rattled the crossbar.
Right on the cusp of half-time, Catania had another great opportunity to equalize, again through Bergessio. The ball fell to the ex-Saint Etienne man in the box after a corner was driven in, but his stab at the ball was parried out by Doni during a scramble.
The second-half was in stark contrast to the first, with very little in terms of goal-mouth chances, although it was the hosts who had dominated possession for majority of the second 45 minutes.
Roma could only muster one clear-cut opportunity in the form of Vucinic, who was picked out delightfully by Totti, and his tantalizing low through ball required Matias Silvestre to hack the ball out for a corner, off the line.
Catania grabbed a deserved equalizer on 78 minutes, through the hard-working Bergessio, who profited from a Francesco Lodi corner and saw his header fly into the back of the net after peeling off Loria.
This was followed up with second goal for the hosts in injury-time, as Gomez lost his marker Cassetti, and coolly slotted the ball past Doni to distinguish any Champions League hopes the Giallorossi had prior to this match.
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