The Talking Point: How 92nd minute winner unfolded

Roma left it late to grab a dramatic winner over Spezia on Saturday afternoon, clinching a 4-3 victory with a devastating 92nd minute Hail Mary that balanced bravery and tactical nous with nerve and composure.

As Lorenzo Pellegrini peeled off his shirt and sprinted away having lashed home Roma’s fourth, you couldn’t help but think how this moment would benefit even more from a rapturous Curva Sud to soundtrack it, or how thousands of flailing limbs would perfectly accompany the delirious celebrations of Giallorossi players and staff.

After a challenging week at the Olimpico, it was an outpouring of emotion that will have been felt just as keenly by those on the pitch as those in the stands and all parties deserved to share that guttural release of joy.

These are unusual times, however, and unfortunately the Olimpico didn’t reverberate as much as it traditionally would with a stoppage-time winner, but that’s not to say the capital wouldn’t have roared in unison as the ball hit the back of the net.

And, thanks to modern technology, we can at the very least capture that goal for posterity in order to relive its glory again and again.

PHASE 1 - Draw them in

When Roma break forward in attack, Bryan Cristante (on the inside-left), Borja Mayoral (centre-forward) and Pellegrini (inside-right) are Roma’s three furthest forward players, while Leonardo Spinazzola and Bruno Peres complete a five-on-four overload in the Giallorossi’s favour having been able to bypass the Spezia midfield.

It’s Cristante who receives possession first, drawing Spezia centre-back Martin Erlic to the ball with him, which creates the space for Spinazzola to attack in behind Erlic and his right-back, Simone Bastoni.

PHASE 2 - Turn them around

Cristante’s movement has the Spezia defence bent out of shape for the first time in this rapid-fire sequence, while also having to rapidly turn-heel 180 degrees as they suddenly find themselves running towards their own goal and their defensive line breached.

It’s safe to say Spinazzola will win most foot races with a disadvantage, let alone with the wind at his back - and with a straight run into the Spezia box ahead of him, Bastoni can’t turn quickly enough to get anywhere near catching Roma’s flying wide-man before he reaches the ball.

PHASE 3 - Turn them around again

Spinazzola’s resulting cross to the back post is not only exquisite in its accuracy but, because he takes it first-time, it again has Spezia heads and bodies suddenly having to swivel on their axis another 180 degrees.

This is no easy adjustment to make and the line of their back-four is now at a 90 degree angle of its own, having been left lopsided by Roma’s lightning assault inside the left channel.

PHASE 4 - Keep your cool

Spezia left-back Riccardo Marchizza suddenly finds himself caught underneath Spinazzola’s cross on the opposite flank and misses his header, leaving cool-as-a-cucumber Bruno Peres to chest the ball into his path on the angle of the six-yard box with Roma now four-on-three less than 10 yards from goal.

Peres holds his nerve superbly and squares to an unmarked Pellegrini thanks to Erlic and centre-back partner Claudio Terzi still trying to orientate themselves.

Before they can get out to close the Roma captain down, he has already fired in the winner and is wheeling off in celebration having grabbed all three points for his team, courtesy of a perfectly executed Hail Mary that could prove crucial come the end of the campaign.