Champions League Group E wrap: Roma win, Basel still in the hunt

Roma put themselves in the box seat for a top two finish in Champions League Group E after coming from two goals down to beat Bayern Munich.

Things were looking dire for Roma after a Mario Gomez double had put Bayern up 2-0 at the break at the Stadio Olimpico, but second half goals from Marco Borriello, Daniele de Rossi and Francesco Totti gave the Italians a famous victory.

The win also ensures they stay three points ahead of FC Basel, who were 1-0 winners over Romanian side Cluj.

Roma’s recent good form looked to have deserted them on Tuesday with German champions Bayern in complete control in the first half.

Gomez broke the deadlock on 33 minutes after a neat through ball from Franck Ribery, and the German international made it 2-0 six minutes later when he again beat Roma goalkeeper Julio Sergio after being set up by Thomas Mueller.

But Claudio Ranieri’s side were a different prospect in the second half, taking just four minutes to pull a goal back after the interval when Borriello recovered after slipping over to fire the ball past goalkeeper Thomas Kraft.

Roma began to dominate the visitors and it was only Kraft who stopped the hosts drawing level as he twice denied substitute Fabio Simplicio from close range.

But with nine minutes remaining Italian international de Rossi made it 2-2, tapping home after John Arne Riise’s cross found him unmarked at the back post.

The momentum was all with the hosts by this stage and it was no surprise when they took the lead six minutes from time.

Kraft brought down Borriello in the box to hand Roma a penalty, and substitute Totti just managed to sneak his spot kick under the German to give his side all three points.

In Switzerland, Basel kept their slim chances of making it to the knockout stages alive with a 1-0 win over Cluj.

Federico Almerares scored the winner for the hosts, sliding on to Samuel Inkoom’s wayward shot to slot the ball past Cluj goalkeeper Nuno Claro.

Cluj rarely threatened at St Jakob-Park and finished the match with 10 men after defender Felice Piccolo was sent off in the dying minutes for pushing Almerares.

In order to progress to the last 16, Basel will need to win away to Bayern in a fortnight and hope Cluj can pull off an upset when they host Roma.