Manchester City vs. Roma: Score, Grades and Reaction from Champions League Game

A record-breaking goal from Francesco Totti ensured Roma earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Sergio Aguero opened the scoring from the penalty spot at the Etihad Stadium following a rash challenge from former City player Maicon, but Totti’s 23rd-minute strike—which, at 38, made him the oldest goalscorer in the history of the Champions League—eventually proved enough to secure a point for Rudi Garcia’s team.

With Bayern Munich beating CSKA Moscow earlier in the day, the result leaves Roma second in Group E with four points—City have just a single point and know they now have a lot of work to do to ensure they reach the knockout stages of the competition.

On this evidence Roma, their obvious challengers for that second qualification spot, will be no pushovers. The Serie A side played with intent and organisation after going behind in just the fifth minute, deservedly equalising through their famous captain.

Miralem Pjanic then had perhaps the best chances to win the game for either side, although City finished strongly—especially after the introduction of Frank Lampard off the substitutes’ bench.

Nevertheless, after picking the ball out the back of the net so early on, the inexperienced goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski was rarely tested over the remainder of the match, with Totti’s clever finish ensuring the final scoreline was a fair reflection of the 90 minutes that had preceded it.

Afterwards, Roma defender Ashley Cole told ITV:

"

It was a good performance from the boys. We showed a lot of character and determination. We maybe should have won … but the boys can be proud of themselves today.

"

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

The starting lineups saw few real surprises, with Manuel Pellegrini restoring Joe Hart in goal and opting for Yaya Toure and Fernandinho in the heart of the City midfield.

Roma, in slight contrast, appeared to pack their central unit with Pjanic, Radja Nainggolan and Seydou Keita—while ex-Chelsea man Cole and Maicon occupied the two full-back positions.

Unfortunately for Maicon, it was not to be a particularly happy return to the club where he never really showed his best form as a player.

With just five minutes gone, the Brazilian was caught on his heels, as Aguero ran across him in a bid to get on the end of David Silva’s chipped ball. The full-back made the split-second decision to pull his opponent back, a clear penalty that was duly given by referee Bjorn Kuipers.

Maicon avoided a red card—it was perhaps a judgement call on Kuipers’ part—but Roma were nonetheless punished, as Aguero passed a powerful effort into the corner.

That might have led some inside the Etihad to anticipate a rout, but Roma reacted impressively and were almost on terms immediately. Again it was Maicon at the heart of the action, the right-back bombing down his flank and unleashing a thunderous drive from an acute angle that bounced away off Hart’s crossbar.

City thought they should have had another penalty soon after as Aguero again went down under pressure from Kosta Manolas, but soon enough Roma were back on terms. It was a landmark goal; Totti grabbing his first goal on English soil with a deft chip after being played in by Nainggolan.

Parity was restored, and from that point on the game remained well-poised, with City always looking dangerous around the box but the visitors impressing with their work rate and incision on the counter-attack.

Some desperate defending saw Edin Dzeko’s shot blocked before Manolas survived another penalty shout after inadvertently preventing Aguero finishing off a sweeping City passing move.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

After the break it was Roma, winning the midfield battle with their extra men in that position, who began the sharper, with Pjanic becoming an increasingly influential figure.

The Bosnian was denied from close range by Hart before curling an effort from the edge of the box that had the England goalkeeper scrambling desperately to cover.

City’s threats were slightly more sporadic, but following the introduction of Lampard for Dzeko, they seemed to get a better footing in the contest.

Nainggolan took one for the team as he blocked Toure’s thumping strike, then Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa got in a last-ditch tackle to deny Fernandinho a clear goalscoring opportunity after a smart one-two with Lampard had given him space in the area.

Lampard then tested Skorupski with a deflected effort that was palmed away, as the veteran Chelsea man soon snatched at another half-chance. With 10 minutes remaining, Roma were increasingly under the cosh, with Cole among those forced into some desperate late clearances as the hosts tried to turn the screw.

A mixed evening for Maicon was completed when he was forced off in the closing minutes with concussion, following a painful challenge by City substitute Stevan Jovetic.

Roma’s back line had been disrupted, but the resolve remained the same, as even five minutes of injury time could not enable City to find a dramatic winner—although half the crowd thought that had happen when Silva flicked Pablo Zabaleta’s low cross just wide of Skorupski’s near post.

The result gives Roma a slight advantage over City in the group, although they now face the daunting task of facing Bayern Munich in their next two European games.

City, in contrast, face CSKA Moscow—acutely aware that six points from those meetings will thrust them firmly back into the mix as the three big sides aim for the knockout stages.

"I don’t think we played our best," Milner said, per ITV. "We didn’t have our tempo but we created a few chances and could have nicked it. We didn’t do quite enough to win the game."

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Player Ratings

Player	Rating
Joe Hart	7
Pablo Zabaleta	6
Vincent Kompany	6
Martin Demichelis	6
Gael Clichy	6
Fernandinho	6
Yaya Toure	6
Jesus Navas	5
David Silva	7
Sergio Aguero	7
Edin Dzeko	6
Substitutions
James Milner	7
Frank Lampard	7
Stevan Jovetic	6

Player	Rating
Lukasz Skorupski	6
Maicon	6
Kostas Manolas	7
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa	7
Ashley Cole	8
Seydou Keita	7
Radja Nainggolan	8
Miralem Pjanic	7
Gervinho	7
Francesco Totti	7
Alessandro Florenzi	6
Substitutions
Juan Iturbe	6
Jose Holebas	6
Vasilis Torosidis	n/a

What's Next?

Roma meet Bayern Munich home and away in their next two Champions League fixtures, while Manchester City will presumably be targeting six points from their double header with CSKA Moscow to get them on a stronger footing in the group.

Quotes transcribed from ITV's live broadcast.