Tottenham could have no complaints about dropping more points in the Europa League. An entertaining contest tilted this way and that, neither side seeming to know how to defend, and Roma earned a deserved draw when Mats Hummels made it 2-2 in stoppage time.
For Claudio Ranieri, back in London and out of retirement, it was a joyous moment. He had spent the night bouncing around his technical area, his struggling team’s shoddy finishing driving him to distraction. Roma, whose hopes of reaching the Europa League knockouts remain in doubt, had trailed to a Son Heung-Min penalty and Brennan Johnson’s strike. But Spurs could not control the game and Ange Postecoglou’s side still have work to do.
Exceptional in demolishing Manchester City last weekend and downright dozy in losing to Ipswich Town in their previous home game, it was impossible to know what Spurs would produce against opponents lying 12th in Serie A and already on to their third manager of the season.
Yet with Postecoglou making only four changes before the visit of Fulham on Sunday, clues as to what kind of night this would be soon materialised. A second-minute attack led by Dejan Kulusevski cut Roma apart and although Glenn Nyberg waved away cries for a penalty when Hummels clipped the Spurs midfielder, the referee changed his mind after checking the pitchside monitor.
Soon trailing to Son’s spot-kick, Roma turned to Paulo Dybala. The Argentinian forward, no longer the next big thing but still extremely dangerous, spurned an inviting chance and later tried to lob Fraser Forster from the halfway line. Yet when Angeliño volleyed a corner back towards the original taker, Ranieri may have wondered why he agreed to a third spell in charge of Roma.
Much of the 73-year-old coach’s optimism had to come from Dybala, who threatened again when he escaped Archie Gray and forced Forster to smother, but Roma were also exerting control. Their 3-4-3 system troubled Spurs and the equaliser arrived in the 20th minute, Evan Ndicka rising to glance Dybala’s free-kick into the far corner.
Now Roma, who were denied a lead when Stephan El Shaarawy’s goal was disallowed, were experiencing some of the magic Ranieri sprinkled over Leicester in 2016. Dybala was running the show and he went on a solo dribble before almost squeezing a low shot past Forster. Up front, Artem Dovbyk was keeping Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies occupied.
Yet Spurs responded, Johnson having a shot cleared off the line after poor goalkeeping from Mile Svilar. Then came Kulusevski, running on to a long ball down the left, pulling Hummels away from the centre. Hummels could not stop the Swede and when the cross was delivered Johnson was there to score with an emphatic finish.
The goal seemed to dent Roma’s spirit. They should have been further behind at half-time, only for Kulusevski to hit the woodwork and Son to blast the rebound over.
Spurs could only be encouraged by Dybala, presumably injured, making way for Matías Soulé at half-time. Instead, Roma started the second half well, Manu Koné dominating midfield, and it twice took the linesman raising his flag against Dovbyk for offside to deny them a second equaliser. Memories of Son testing Svilar with a curling effort were starting to fade.
Roma were having joy with their wing-backs pushing higher. Another chance came when Zeki Celik found space on the right and crossed for Angeliño, whose volley took a deflection and hit the bar.
It was time for Spurs to wake up and they did when an adventurous run from Davies ended with him being chopped down on the edge of the area. Porro took the free-kick but whipped it just over. Dominic Solanke then broke down the left, only for Leandro Paredes to stop the striker’s cross reaching Johnson.
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The action remained open and Roma had another try when Koné placed a low effort wide. Their shooting had to be better to worry Forster on the 36-year-old goalkeeper’s first outing deputising for Gugliemo Vicario, who faces a long lay-off after breaking an ankle.
The frustration grew for Ranieri, who felt Rodrigo Bentancur should have seen more than yellow for clattering the Roma substitute, Alexis Saelemaekers. Solanke headed against a post but Spurs still needed Forster to deny Dovbyk after horrific defending from Porro.
It seemed that Spurs had done enough when Forster produced a stunning stop from Gianluca Mancini’s volley. Yet as the game ticked into stoppage time, Roma pressed again and Hummels arrived at the far post to convert Angeliño’s cross.
