Hernanes scored a wonderful opening goal in the first half though missed a penalty in the second, shortly before conceding the spot-kick with allowed Francesco Totti to level the scores. When Lazio’s Giuseppe Biava was sent off in the second half, Roma took control, though an excellent performance from Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti kept the scores level.
AS Roma vs. Lazio: Final score 1-1, Marchetti saves ten-man Lazio
Lazio’s Hernanes went from hero to villain in the second half of the Rome derby, with goalkeeper Federico Marchetti single-handedly keeping the scores level after Francesco Totti netted a penalty.
As if you needed reminding of the bad blood between the Rome rivals, the match’s build-up was marred by clashes between the fans -- not like the game needed even more tension before a ball had even been kicked.
Once the game had finally started, neither team could bring it under control. But, after a few minutes of midfield battling Lazio settled into the game, and were the first team to seriously test the opposition goalkeeper. Antonio Candreva forced a save from Maarten Stekelenburg with a rasping shot, before the aquile took the lead with an even better effort a couple of minutes later
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A quick counter-attack gave Lazio's star playmaker Hernanes space 25 yards from goal, and he proceeded to lash a powerful effort left footed into the top corner, with Stekelenburg powerless to stop the shot flying into the net.
Roma seemed to crumble, with Lazio dancing through their defence with ease; Hernanes was at the heart of their attacks. Only a Daniele De Rossi tackle stopped him in the area he skipped into a dangerous position, and Stekelenburg made a diving save at the near post to keep out Senad Lulić, who was set through on goal by -- you guessed it -- Hernanes.
The giallorossi did manage to steady the ship, though their midfield was anonymous. They had their best effort of the half in the third and final minute of stoppage time, when Francesco Totti's curling effort from outside the box was tipped away by Federico Marchetti at full stretch.
Things went from bad to worse for Roma minutes after the restart, when defender Marquinhos gave away a penalty. Not under any pressure from the Lazio attackers, he just allowed the ball to bounce in the area and hit his arm. Hernanes stepped up, though couldn’t convert, curling his shot way wide of the mark.
The Curva Sud let out a roar, and so did Roma’s players. Midfield talisman Daniele De Rossi may have limped off with an injury, but the penalty miss gave them some fight. Less than ten minutes later, Hernanes had gone full circle; from hero to zero. He tripped Miralem Pjanić in the area, and Francesco Totti would take the penalty. Of course, il capitano wouldn’t miss. Marchetti dived the right way, though couldn’t keep the low shot out, and the momentum swung firmly the way of the robur.
Marchetti made a great double save to keep out a Totti free-kick and Florenzi's follow-up, before Lazio's task was made even harder. A rash tackle by defender Giuseppe Biava earned him a second yellow, and the aquile were down to ten. Within a couple of minutes Roma had a great chance; Totti drilling a low ball across the box. Agonisingly, no-one could touch it in.
Erik Lamela had a penalty shout with just over 15 minutes remaining, though Roma still weren't totally comfortable themselves. Lazio's main counter-attacking threat, Antonio Candreva, caused problems with a cross on the ensuing break, with the game descending into the traditional -- and fantastic -- end-to-end derby madness.
Totti had firmly overtaken Hernanes as the game’s key player, and his corner landed right on the head of Lamela with ten minutes remaining, though the Argentine was right underneath the ball and couldn’t head it down into the open goal. Marchetti -- who had stolen Hernanes’ title as Lazio’s matchday hero -- kept Roma at bay, notably from a Totti free-kick inside the final five minutes.
The draw means Lazio leapfrog Inter Milan into fifth place -- and the final Europa League place -- while Roma stay seventh, three points further back.
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