AD Lisboa pushes Roma closer to relegation edge

by: Domenico Jordano (Nightingale Press)

After losing the lead in the previous matchday against Nomades de Paris, Roma SS have been left on the last place with 2 points behind safety zone. Now they had to squeeze their much-needed victory out of not-so-motivated middle-tablers Lisboa in the second-to-last home match of the season.

The first 45 minutes of the game represented the reason behind the poor table situation of Gladiators: lack of aggression and unclear tactics. Portuguese defenders could easily pass the ball in triangles without real pressure from the forwards in purple. Kamel's unsuccessful bicycle kick after the 40th minute was perhaps the only interesting moment of the match, even though it didn't even reach the ball. As a result, 0 shots, 0 fouls, 0 free kicks, 0 corners at halftime.

The second half began a little more lively. Iberians couldn't just steal time by tiki-taka: the hosts made them feel pressure and tried to send the ball behind the goalkeeper. Higher tempo didn't work very well for Eternal City, though: John Warhurst used the gap in Roma's defense to put Lisbon in the lead by a goal in the 73rd minute. In the last minute of full time Kalle Knull totally destroyed Romans' hopes for this match by a one-touch goal over goalkeeper's head.

The Italian team should learn from its mistakes and show its imperial ambitions if it wants to avoid the relegation. But as for now, Lisboa's 2-0 victory only made Roma closer to repeating year 476.