Mattia Destro bagged a late brace in Roma’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Fenerbahce.
Mattia Destro bagged a late brace in Roma’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Fenerbahce.
The Giallorossi presented their squad to the fans at the Stadio Olimpico ahead of this friendly, including injured Kevin Strootman and Mehdi Benatia in the middle of a transfer saga.
Leandro Castan fired wide from a very promising position, but limped off with a muscular problem after just 11 minutes.
Morgan De Sanctis did well to deny Gokhan, but when Raul Meireles brought down Gervinho, Francesco Totti coolly converted the penalty.
The lead did not last long, as Bruno Alves curled in a fantastic free kick from the edge of the box to equalise.
Gervinho and Moussa Sow had the opportunities to score, while Daniele De Rossi’s screamer was deflected inches past the upright. Seydou Keita also nodded a Totti free kick just off target.
Fenerbahce turned the game around completely when Davide Astori brought down Alper for a Dirk Kuyt penalty.
Totti hit a stunning left-foot volley that flashed inches wide, while Lukasz Skorupski flew to parry an Erik Caner free kick.
However, Adem Ljajic lost possession to spark a counter and Skorupski denied Emmanuel Emenike, but not the Sow follow-up.
Mattia Destro and Miralem Pjanic forced saves out of the goalkeeper, but the ex-Siena striker did pull one back after a fine give-and-go between Juan Iturbe and Urby Emanuelson.
Destro sent the home fans wild with another goal to make it 3-3, rising to meet an Iturbe corner. Alessandro Florenzi thought he’d won it for Roma, but failed to make the most of Salih Ucan’s assist.
Roma 3-3 Fenerbahce
Scorers: Totti pen 27 (R), Alves 32 (F), Kuyt pen 50 (F), Sow 58 (F), Destro 80, 85 (R)
Roma: De Sanctis (Skorupski 46); Torosidis (Florenzi 60), Astori, Castan (Romagnoli 11), Cole (Emanuelson 69); De Rossi (Paredes 78), Pjanic (Ucan 69), Keita; Totti (Destro 69), Gervinho (Sanabria 83), Ljajic (Iturbe 60)
Fenerbahce: Volkan; Caner, Bekir, Alves (Serdar 46), Gökhan; Raul, Topal; Alper, Kuyt (Selcuk 69), Sow; Emenike
Ref: Valeri