AS Roma and Inter Milan Share the Spoils After Six-Goal Thriller

José Mourinho had to rest Zlatan Ibrahimovic due to a muscular injury when Roma came to visit the San Siro. The visiting side were lacking talismanic captain Francesco Totti, who has a tendency of scoring in Milan. Therefore, Daniele De Rossi got to do the honors on Sunday evening.

Daniele De Rossi took his task literally as he gave Roma an early lead, which was doubled shortly after by John Arne Riise. Mario Balotelli gave Inter hope with his powerful strike in the second half, only for Roma to have their two goal lead restored by Matteo Brighi not long after.

Balotelli bagged a brace when he converted the penalty he had earned. Hernan Crespo came off the bench towards the end of the game to complete the amazing comeback.

The six-goal thriller was a real roller-coaster ride, to say the very least, but by holding Inter to a draw, Roma have breathed some life into Serie A as the side from the capital reduced Inter’s lead to seven points.

First half

5. Roma were the more fiery side in the opening stages of the game and fired an early warning shot when Vucinic was left to stroll into the box and test the Inter defence. The forward’s effort was cleared but Matteo Brighi met the ball on the volley and shot just wide.

14. The match had been open in the initial stages and continued as Maxwell passed the ball to Davide Santon. Santon cut back to the Brazilian, but Daniele De Rossi made a vital interception as the left back’s effort went just wide of the target.

23. Motta skipped past his marker and sent in a cross from the byline and De Rossi rose higher than both Santon and Javier Zanetti to head the ball past Julio Cesar to give Roma an early lead.

29. John Arne Riise floated a dangerous cross into Inter’s box but, unfortunately for the Norwegian, there weren’t any Roma players to meet his delivery. Inter 'keeper Julio Cesar still had to work to parry the ball away with his fingertips.

30. Riise charged onto a pass from the center of the pitch and managed to squeeze the ball past Cesar from the near post to double Roma’s lead. The San Siro crowd couldn’t believe what they were witnessing.

33. Roma were dominating and came close to a third when Vucinic turned away from Ivan Cordoba inside the area, but his fellow defender Nicolas Burdisso came in sliding from behind to clear the ball away.

36. Inter captain Zanetti received the first booking of the match for a handball.

40. Inter were looking short of ideas when Zanetti took matters into his own hands and tried a long range shot from just outside the penalty area, but saw his shot fly just past the far post.

44. Inter finally began to show some determination and team work as Santon tried to deliver a cross in from the left hand side, but Vucinic cleared the danger before Mario Balotelli or Adriano could take advantage.

45. Just before referee Nicola Rizzoli blew for the half time break, David Pizzaro received Roma’s first booking of the game for handball.

Second half

46. José Mourinho made a double substitution during the break bringing on Figo and Vieira for Maxwell and Burdisso. Inter were wide awake after the break, pushing Roma back into their own half.

50. Adriano cut into the box and shoved away Philippe Mexés before he passed the ball to Balotelli to unleash a projectile into the back of the net and put Inter back into the game.

57. Roma launched a counter-attack after Vieira was stripped of the ball in the middle of the pitch. Julio Baptista managed to spin Esteban Cambiasso before releasing the ball to set Brighi free. The midfielder then clinically shot beyond Cesar into the far corner to restore Roma’s two goal lead.

62. Balotelli went down easily as De Rossi came in for the ball and Rizzoli didn’t think twice before pointing towards the penalty spot. "Super Mario" took the kick himself, sending Doni flying the wrong way before putting his finger to his lips to hush the home fans. Not the smartest thing to do considering his turbulent season.

66. Roma bound forward as Rodrigo Taddei floated a ball into the box, but Vucinic headed straight at Cesar. Inter then went close at the other end, but Balotelli's overhead kick was blocked by Motta. Dejan Stankovic and De Rossi then squared up to one another off the ball and Rizzoli booked both players.

75. Vucinic picked up an injury and had to be replaced by Jeremy Menez.

76. Riise was shown a yellow card the for a harsh tackle on Balotelli.

78. Mourinho made his third and final change when he sacrificed Dejan Stankovic for Hernan Crespo.

80. What a stroke of brilliance the substitution would turn out to be. Crespo had been on the pitch for less than two minutes when he headed home the equaliser with his first touch of the ball, with Doni rooted to the spot.

82. Crespo looked to give Inter the lead with another header, but saw his effort go over the bar. The eerie silence that had filled the San Siro had by this time broken into full song. Shortly after Crespo’s effort, Vieira received a warning.

86. Cordoba and Menez were fighting for the same ball when Rizzoli awarded a free kick to Roma just outside Inter’s penalty area. Cordoba could not believe the ref's decision and Inter were almost punished as Riise stepped forward and unleashed a venomous shot that Cesar had to tip over the bar.

90. Roma poured forward in extra time and De Rossi had a golden opportunity to score the winner when he was set free by Menez. De Rossi's touch was excellent but he couldn't place the ball beyond Cesar.

92. Menez had Roma’s last chance claim all three points for the visiting side, but his effort lacked power and was easily taken by Cesar.

Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Burdisso (Vieira 46), Santon; Zanetti, Cambiasso, Maxwell (Figo 46); Stankovic (Crespo 77); Balotelli, Adriano

Roma: Doni; Motta, Mexes, Panucci, Riise; Taddei, De Rossi, Pizarro, Brighi, Vucinic (Menez 75); Baptista

Inter 3   Roma 3

De Rossi 23 (R), Riise 29 (R), Balotelli 50, pen 63 (I), Brighi 57 (R), Crespo 79 (I)