Roma 2-1 Sassuolo: El Shaarawy sparks incredible celebrations

Jose Mourinho’s 1000th game as a manager ended with him celebrating under the Curva Sud with all his players, after El Shaarawy decided a game that could have gone either way with a pinpoint curling effort late on.

That moment came after Rui Patricio had made countless saves to keep Roma in a match that they had led for much of the way – and, even after it, there was more drama, as Gianluca Scamacca had a phenomenal volleyed finish chalked off for offside.

But, when VAR confirmed the linesman’s flag had been raised correctly, an almost sold-out Olimpico was finally able to celebrate a win that puts the side top of the fledgling league standings.

It was Bryan Cristante who broke the deadlock in the game, as he and Lorenzo Pellegrini executed a smart training ground routine to flummox Sassuolo from a free-kick – leaving Cristante a simple chance to beat Andrea Consigli.

Sassuolo eventually equalised through Filip Djuricic, before Domenico Berardi and Jeremie Boga were both thwarted by Patricio from close range.

Substitute Hamed Traore then hit the post from 20 yards out, before he too found Patricio too imposing a target to beat in front of goal.

Not that Roma were by any means out of the contest: at the other end Tammy Abraham hit the woodwork, while Pellegrini himself lashed a curling effort only fractionally wide.

Minutes later, El Shaarawy showed him how it was down.

The goal sparked riotous celebrations, as players and staff ran to the Curva Sud. Mourinho amongst them.

ROMA 2-1 SASSUOLO

MARCATORI: Cristante (37'), El Shaarawy (90'); Djuricic (57')

ROMA (4-2-3-1): Rui Patricio; Karsdorp (Reyndolds), Mancini, Ibanez, Vina; Veretout (Shomurodov), Cristante; Zaniolo (Perez), Pellegrini, Mkhitaryan (El Shaarawy); Abraham

SASSUOLO (4-2-3-1): Consigli; Toljan, Chiriches, Ferrari, Rogerio; Frattesi (Ayhan), Lopez; Berardi (Defrel), Djuricic (Traore), Boga (Kyriakopoulos); Raspadori (Scamacca)