Roma’s first European victory: Servette defeated with a shudder
All or nothing: certainly not the best situation when playing in the European competition, but Roma were forced to win against Swiss side Servette from the eve of a match against them, especially emotionally challenging. 2-1 on the big screens at the end of the match, a result the Roman side could have jeopardized with their own hands by being overconfident with the three points they had seen secure beforehand. Van Dooren and Pilgrim put a stop to it, and the European dream continues.
Servette immediately tried to take the bull by the horns, before Roma could gather their strength and find the right spaces. Taking control, the Giallorosse broke the deadlock thanks to van Dooren in the 25th minute, following a beautiful pass from the Roma number 25. This was followed in the 34th minute by a second goal from Pilgrim, the most talked-about player going into the match and who had certainly not looked out of place in the starting lineup. There was no letting down of guard, and Servette almost made it 2-1 a few minutes later: fortunately, however, the Giallorossi went into the break with a two-goal lead.
After a first half during which Roma faced very little danger, the Swiss were left with a little more space in the second half, but they weren't tenacious enough to take advantage of others' mistakes to close the gap. This was the script that played out until Baldi's naiveté, which led to a penalty, perfectly converted by Serie A veteran Marinelli in the 75th minute. Piovani's girls attempted to push forward again, but risked being punished on the counterattack, and the final minutes of the match were agonizing for the home team, with Corelli landing the winning shot. In the end, however, it was 2-1 to Roma.
What we saw at the "Tre Fontane" was a match that analyzed the reigning Italian champions with self-esteem as a double-edged sword: while in Serie A it's possible to have confidence in one's own abilities and allow for a few more mistakes, at the international level every lapse in concentration is costly, and Piovani's girls still have work to do on this front. On the other hand, it's that same confidence that led them to grit their teeth until the last second and secure three crucial points that are worth their weight in gold, especially as they approach their next international match away to Benfica with the necessary composure and extra motivation, because the game isn't over yet and there's still room for hope.