Late El Shaarawy goal secures Roma win over ten-man Monza

Updated: Oct 22, 2023, 01:48 pm

A 90th minute goal from Stephan El Shaarawy secured a 1-0 win for AS Roma over ten-man Monza at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, giving the hosts their third consecutive Serie A win.

A brave Monza side, who had Danilo D'Ambrosio sent off in the 41st minute after a second booking, looked like holding Roma to a scoreless draw, before El Shaarawy's late goal gave the home team all three points.

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"They didn't deserve to lose the game," Mourinho said afterwards.

"My team was always in difficulty, we made a lot of mistakes and we suffered. It was a game with a low technical level but a high emotional one."

It was a goal which involved four Roma substitutes. Nicola Zalewski's cross from the left was headed back across the area by Rasmus Kristensen, El Shaarawy nodded the ball behind him and Sardar Azmoun chested it down before taking his shot.

Azmoun's effort was blocked down by Monza's diving defenders but the ball only went as far as El Shaarawy who hit a sweet right-footed volley which gave keeper Michele Di Gregorio no chance.

The goal not only brought Monza, but also an ecstatic Jose Mourinho, to their knees.

Roma's poor start to the season meant they began the day in 11th place but they now move up to sixth on 14 points, overtaking Monza who slip to 11th on 12 points.

"I'm proud of my guys and the performance they gave," Monza manager Raffaele Palladino said.

"In 10 against 11 we played a great game. That's also football, we didn't deserve it and this game will help us grow."

In stoppage time the Roma manager was shown a red card for gestures made towards the Monza staff, and it means Mourinho won't be on the bench for Roma's next league game, away to his former club Inter Milan.

"I don't know why I got the red card, I only made a gesture to the bench, not a single word," Mourinho said.

"The Monza bench put a lot of pressure on the referee, they shouldn't have behaved like that."

Monza were unbeaten in five games coming into this fixture, and had gone three games without conceding a goal. Di Gregorio pulled off two fine saves in the first half, and Roma hit the post twice in the second half before finding that winning goal.