Panucci winner moves Roma closer to Europa League

Christian Panucci scored an injury time winner as AS Roma beat Catania 4-3 at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico to close in on a Europa League place next season.

The hosts had looked likely to be frustrated by their mid-table opponents, who had battled back from a 3-1 half-time deficit to level at 3-3 with 17 minutes to play after Japanese striker Takayuki Morimoto’s equaliser.

But Roma kept pushing to the final whistle and Panucci headed home a David Pizarro cross from close range to snatch the three points.

The game exploded into life on 13 minutes with a spell of three goals in four minutes.

Simone Perrotta gave Roma the lead before Giacomo Tedesco equalised, only for Mirko Vucinic to put the hosts straight back in front.

Just past the half hour mark Perrotta scored his second with a wickedly deflected strike.

But Giuseppe Mascara pulled a goal back for the Sicilians two minutes into the second half and when Morimoto beat the offside trap and fired past Brazilian goalkeeper Artur, Catania looked likely to steal a point.

With the match in injury time, Panucci struck to put sixth-placed Roma five points clear of the competition in the race for the last European qualification position.