AS Roma were dumped out of the Coppa Italia at the quarter-final stage by Cremonese after losing 2-1 on Wednesday night at the Stadio Olimpico.
A first-half penalty from Cyril Dessers gave the Grigiorossi the lead at the break and it was doubled soon after by a Zeki Celik own goal. A 94th-minute goal from Andrea Belotti gave Roma hope but it was too little too late.
The victory puts Cremonese into the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia despite having not won a Serie A game all season.
Cremonese stun the Olimpico
The first big chance of the game came to Benjamin Tahirovic who saw his volley hit straight at Mouhamadou Sarr at the back post.
The first major drama then happened as Dessers was taken down in the box by Rui Patricio and the former Feyenoord striker smashed the penalty into the top corner in emphatic style to make it 1-0 just before the half-hour mark.
Jose Mourinho rang the changes at halftime by making four substitutions. Paulo Dybala, Nicola Zalweski, Chris Smalling and Nemanja Matic came on for Cristian Volpato, Gianluca Mancini, Marash Kumbulla and Bryan Cristante. Tammy Abraham also soon came on for Tahirovic.
Roma began the second half knowing that they had a job to do, but they got off to the worst possible start. Okereke’s pass from wide into the box was met by Charles Pickel who fired towards goal. His shot was going off target but clipped off of Zeki Celik and nestled into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
AS Roma turn the screw
The Giallorossi expectedly had all of the ball after Cremonese had doubled their lead and the tactic seemed to be swinging the ball into the box and getting headers on goal. Roger Ibanez and Andrea Belotti both had good headed chances early in the half.
One of the best chances fell to Abraham who took the ball down in the box and fired a shot against the inside of the post, much to his dismay. That chance was swiftly followed by Mourinho being sent off for his behaviour on the touchline.
The chances started to come more regularly and Lorenzo Pellegrini had a low shot saved by Sarr. Roma’s attacking intent meant Cremonese still held a threat on the break with so much space available.
Despite having so much of the ball, it just would not fall right for Roma and they were left frustrated. Belotti did score with a minute of stoppage time to go, but there was not enough time for Roma to force extra time.
