Totti grabs late winner
Udinese’s hopes of playing in the Champions League next season were dealt a further blow with their second consecutive defeat, a narrow reverse at home to Roma.
A penalty from Francesco Totti in the 57th minute put the Giallorossi in front, but Antonio Di Natale levelled two minutes from time.
Totti’s second with the final kick of the game broke Udinese’s hearts and earned Roma all three points to get them back into the hunt for a top-four finish.
Vincenzo Montella’s side now trail city rivals Lazio by just a point and they are just three adrift of fourth-placed Udinese, whose slim Scudetto hopes were practically ended at the Stadio Friuli tonight.
The home side had the better of a tight first half with German Denis coming close to opening the scoring in the 16th minute with a header over the crossbar.
Denis came even closer to scoring at the other end of the field in the 32nd minute when he got his head to Totti’s free-kick and almost sent the ball into his own goal, but Samir Handanovic made a good save on the stretch to push the ball behind for a corner.
Mauricio Isla dragged his shot across the face of goal in the 53rd minute as the game opened up in the second half.
Three minutes later, Roma were gifted the chance to go ahead as Giampiero Pinzi committed an unnecessary foul on David Pizarro inside the area as the ball was going behind for a goal kick.
Totti stepped up to the spot and, with a cheeky chip, he beat Handanovic for his 202nd goal in Serie A.
Juan saw his header cleared off the line by Maurizio Domizzi on the hour mark as Roma looked to wrap up the win.
But they almost threw away two points when Di Natale latched onto Bernardo Corradi’s header to beat Doni from seven yards in the 88th minute.
The home side then had a goal disallowed for a handball against Kwadwo Asamoah in stoppage time before Torri blasted a shot into the roof of the net from close range to clinch all three points for Roma with the very last kick of the game.
Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com
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