By Petar Todorovski
Roma played their best 51 minutes this season but that wasn’t enough to secure any points as the worst 39 minutes in the season followed right after. Lupi led the game with 3-0 in early second half, but spirited Genoa managed to make an amazing and rare turnaround and win the match with 4-3.
Claudio Ranieri had to set the right tactics as the speculations about his firing was increased lately, especially after the loss against Shakhtar in Champions League. And it seemed that he made it. His team started furiously with two goals lead after just 16 minutes. Defenders were in scoring mood, Phillippe Mexes scored first in 6th minute after Franceso Totti’s corner, and Nicolas Burdisso extended the lead ten minutes after when the Colombian reacted excellent after the great pass by Totti.
In the meantime Giallorossi lost their valuable midfielder Simone Perrotta, who suffered tough challenge by Genoa players. However, he didn’t miss them at all, as Grifoni failed to create any chance in the first half.
Roma started the second half like they did it 45 minutes before. This time the double assistant Totti scored for 3-0 after the excellent action of Mirko Vucinic. At this point it seemed that Ranieri and his players are bouncing back from bad results once again. But, then something happened.
No one knows what, but the match flow changed radically. Only one minute after Totti’s goal Genoa scored their first. Rodrigo Palacio netted after Julio Sergio’s mistake. The result remained 1-3 until the 68th minute, when Grifoni woke up the hope for totally returning into the match. Roma defense had another awful reaction, leaving Alberto Paloschi unmarked, and the youngster netted easily.
Then Genoa started trying to equalize. Their hard work paid off in 75th minute when Rodrigo Palacio scored for second time on the game. Roma players didn’t know what happened and continued with awful play. Unlike them, Genoa didn’t see any reason why should stop there and were trying hard to do what seemed to be impossible. In 86th minute Alberto Paloschi tapped from close range after the action of Criscito and Palacio. Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris was in delirium, while poor Giallorossi were wondering what happened to them.
These three points sent Genoa in the upper half of the table, now they’re tenth with 35 points. Roma has collected only four points more and is eighth with 39.
Genoa’s coach Davide Ballardini was delighted with his boys’ fighting spirit and thanked the fans for inspiring them: “The fans lent a great hand today. I must underline the great work of the supporters as at three goals down they continued to get behind the team. I never expected to complete such a comeback but when we pulled one back I was sure my men would give everything in order to turn things around,” he said.
Unlike him Ranieri didn’t give any statement, but the club’s board is talking a lot about him. At this moment it seems that he is on the brink to be fired and that’s only a matter of time. The eventual new coach will have the opportunity to prove himself on the hot turf in Bologna on Wednesday.
