An expensive mistake and a ghost goal
The match was decided in two key moments. First, with a masterful shot by Jürgen Ekkelenkamp at the beginning of the second half. The Dutchman launched a right hand that brushed the barrier and went unstoppable next to the post, leaving Mile Svilar with no options.
“The ball grazed the top of the barrier and dislocated the goalkeeper,” he described the defining play.
Roma, who had not quite found their rhythm, pressed in the final minutes looking for at least a draw. And it seemed like he would make it. In the last breath, Bryan Cristante finished off the net after chaos in the small area. The stadium erupted, but the joy lasted seconds.
Technology came into action. The replay showed a millimeter advanced position and the referee, after consulting with the VAR, annulled the goal. Phantom goal. Lost point.
Hard lesson for the Romans
This defeat hurts more because of how it came. For not having been correct before and for seeing how a point disappears at the last moment by centimeters. It is those details that make the difference between fighting for something great or settling.
Udinese, on the other hand, showed punitive effectiveness. With a clear opportunity, he converted it. And then he endured with order and suffering until the final whistle, including that final whip from the VAR in his favor.
For Roma it is an important emotional blow. Losing like this at home cuts momentum. It shows that in this sport, sometimes, it is not enough to fight until the end. You have to be focused from the first minute and be impeccable until the last, because a single mistake or a centimeter can cost you everything.
Now it’s time to raise your head quickly. There is no time for regrets.
