Roma miss chance to climb into top six as defiant Monza claim draw
Roma travelled to Lombardy looking to continue their resurgence against a Monza side rooted to the bottom of the table, with Ivan Jurić looking to make it three domestic wins on the bounce following his side’s midweek UEFA Europa League defeat to Elfsborg in Sweden.
The visitors got straight to work, pinning the hosts back onto the edge of their own box with a mix of long balls and quick passing down the flanks, but Monza were successful in limiting the number of clear-cut chances their opponents were able to create.
Artem Dovbyk thought he had given Roma the lead when he converted the rebound from Manu Koné’s effort, but the Ukrainian was deemed offside after a VAR review. Monza subsequently responded positively after being let off the hook, pushing forward on the counter in search of the opening goal.
While this led to a more open game, it didn’t do much to increase the number of opportunities at either end, although the visitors were nearly gifted the lead just after the half-hour mark. A cross bounced off Armando Izzo, which forced Semuel Pizzignacco to quickly dive to his left to save his centre-back’s blushes.
The second half started off similarly to the first, with Roma in control of the tempo. This pressure nearly earned them the lead just before the hour mark, as a fine passing move down the right left Lorenzo Pellegrini unchallenged in the centre of the box. The experienced midfielder, though, could only fire his effort straight at Pizzignacco.
Eventually, Roma got their goal not long after, with Dovbyk charging into the box and firing low across the face of goal and leaving Pizzignacco helpless.
Nevertheless, that lead only lasted nine minutes, as Dany Mota tapped home from close range to bring things level.
Roma went out in search of a winner, but were forced to settle for a point which moves them up to ninth place.
Meanwhile, the point for Monza lifts them off the bottom of the table on goal difference, but they are still waiting for their first league win of the season. They will look to change that when they travel to Hellas Verona after the international break.
Flashscore Man of the match: Artem Dovbyk (AS Roma)