Chievo fightback stuns Roma

Roma missed the chance to move to third in Serie A after hosts Chievo fought back from a two-goal first-half deficit to draw 2-2 in Saturday?s early game in Italy.

In a match that only went ahead after a late pitch inspection at the icy Marc’Antonio Bentegodi stadium, Roma midfielder Fabio Simplicio struck a brace in minutes 26 and 44.

But the Giallorossi were punished for sitting on their lead when goalkeeper Julio Sergio allowed a long-range effort from Davide Moscardelli to slip through his grasp just after the hour.

Pablo Granoche side-footed home the equaliser with seven minutes remaining before Roma’s misery was compounded when skipper Daniele De Rossi was sent off for a reckless lunge on Moscardelli.

Roma stay seventh in Serie A, with Chievo ninth.

With Roma coach Claudio Ranieri resting Francesco Totti, Marco Borriello and Jeremy Menez ahead of their decisive Champions League match against CFR Cluj in mid-week, Adriano was given a rare start up front and the big Brazilian almost made an early mark when he bent a 20-yard free kick inches over.

The away side continued to dominate and were rewarded when Simplicio fashioned a goal out of nothing.

Roaming forward, the Brazilian nicked a hopeful ball from in front of the last defender and held off another challenge before steering the ball into the corner.

A sleepy Chievo stirred briefly just after the half-hour mark when Kevin Constant and Davide Moscardelli fired in 25-yarders that failed to trouble Julio Sergio between the Roma sticks.

Roma doubled their lead a minute before the break when Adriano fed Marco Cassetti, whose right-wing cross was side-footed home by Simplicio, looking suspiciously offside eight yards out.

Despite the high backline they employed in the first half, the Giallorossi began the second sitting deep and Chievo needed no second invitation, launching attack after attack.

In the 61st minute, Julio Sergio mis-read an innocuous 20-yard drive from Moscardelli and inadvertently guided the bouncing ball into the corner of the net.

The Brazilian keeper came out bravely to save from Granoche with 12 minutes remaining but the striker had the final word, slipping the ball home for a deserved equaliser.

League leaders AC Milan will look to pull three points clear when they host Brescia later on Saturday.

Lazio drew level on points with Milan on Friday after inflicting a 3-1 defeat on faltering champions Inter Milan.