Day 17th - January 25th, 1998
"A good Roma isn't stronger than referee's mistakes"
Sampdoria - Roma 1 - 1
January 25th,1998 - 8.30 pm - Marassi Stadium - Genova
The hard away match against Sampdoria couldn't be played in a worse period. Everyone thought that Roma, which is trying to settle their problems showed after the last games, would have had hard time to come back home with some point. Despite the Zeman's team has one of the strongest defence line in the championship, in the last matches they gave away silly goals, and the Sampdoria's forwarders Signori-Montella could drive the romans defenders crazy easily. Anyway nothing of that happened, both the team tried to get the win playing a spectacular and exciting match. Roma started assaulting Sampdoria since the first minutes and claimed a penalty and a red card, both denied by the referee, when Paulo Sergio was knocked over by goalkeeper Ferron after that the brasilian dribbled him inside the area. For over twenty minutes Sampdoria weren't able to go out their own half and Roma went close to go ahead in the 10th when Di Biagio headed a corner by Totti and hit the bar. In the 26th the efforts by then Zeman's guy were rewarded. Di Francesco from the left sent a through ball which reached Tommasi in the middle of the penalty box and the midfielder scored with a right-footed shot deflected by the Sampdoria's defender Mannini. After the goal the home team started to put on some decent attack and in the 33rd they earned a free kick few metres far from the penalty area. The specialist Mihajlovic converted in with a stunnig right-footed shot, driving the ball over the wall and putting it in goal just close to the crossing bar. After having levelled Sampdoria had two chance to lead the match. The first one in the 40th when Montella hit the bar and the second one three minutes later. The shot by Franceschetti from the right was slapped away from Konsel, the ball got to Montella who kicked readly but the ball was cleared just in the goal line by a Cafu's header.
The second half was less enjoyable the the first one. Roma seemed too tired
troubled Sampdoria's goalkeeper Ferron since the played the derby against
Lazio only four days before. Sampdoria's forwarder always found in their
ways the skilful Aldair and Petruzzi who both supplied good performances
and the saves by Konsel who confirm himself one of the best goalkeepers of
the championship. In the 65th the referee Mr.Trenatalange denied another
penalty to Rome when Balleri pushed down Totti inside the penalty area. The
match finished with a draw and with the Roma's players complaining once again
with the referee who didn't let them kick a corner before the final whistle.
For the most of the match the Roma played the way they did until a month
ago when they reached the first positions in the standings and every fan
is sure that Roma is back !!
