Roma 4 (1) Internazionale 1 (0)

March 7^th 2004 – Serie A

Roma: Ivan Pelizzoli, Christian Panucci, Jonathan Zebina, Walter Samuel, Vincent Candela, Émerson, Olivier Dacourt (Damiano Tommasi 76), Francisco Lima, Mancini, Antonio Cassano, Francesco Totti

Scorers: Cassano 45, Mancini 63, 90, Totti 88 (pen)  Manager: Fabio Capello

Internazionale: Francesco Toldo, Thomas Helveg, Iván Córdoba (red card 87), Fabio Cannavaro, Daniele Adani, Cristiano Zanetti, Javier Farinós (Andy van der Meyde 83), Javier Zanetti, Kily González (Georgios Karagounis 67), Adriano (Obafemi Martins 58), Christian Vieri

Scorer: Vieri 73  Manager: Alberto Zaccheroni

Referee: Roberto Rosetti

Why you should watch this match: Roma have 3 goals disallowed and still win 4-1.

Time, I think for another of the many Roma and Internazionale classics from the past ten years. With ten games to go before the end of the season, AC Milan held a three point lead at the top of Serie A. This was hardly unassailable in the light of future fixtures including matches against both their nearest challengers Juventus and Roma, but where AC Milan held an advantage was in most of their remaining games being against clubs in the bottom half of the table.

Roma, five points behind AC, still harboured hopes of their third championship, but needed to negotiate some tricky fixtures, this among them. While not invincible, Internazionale's form until February had kept them in touch for a Champions League qualifying place, but theirs proved a team built on sand when central defender Fabio Cannavaro was injured in a Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus. They'd not won a single game of the seven during Cannavaro's absence, and this was his first since recovering.

From the first whistle, though, there only appeared one team that was going to win this match. Inter were sluggish, Cannavaro lacking match fitness, and Roma in rampant mood. Inter were handicapped by the suspensions of attacking midfielder Dejan Stanković and forward Alvaro Recoba so began with the 3-5-2 formation that had seen them to a UEFA Cup draw away to Sochaux in midweek. Swamping the midfield proved little obstacle to Roma who rapidly adjusted by launching balls over the top for Antonio Cassano and Francesco Totti. It was midfielder Emerson who struck first, though, running onto Cassano's clever chip over the defence to plant the ball into the net. Offside claimed the linesman, and while replay footage proved him wrong, it was a marginal decision.

Adriano bounced a strike off the post for Inter before Cassano wasted Totti's glorious pass by firing directly into Francesco Toldo's arms. Mancini and Totti then combined to put the ball into the net, but the goal was again disallowed. Chalking it off for Mancini's shot bouncing off Toldo's prone form to hit Totti on the arm would have been harsh, but Totti was in an offside position as it hit him, so his subsequent strike didn't count. So, Referee 1, Roma 1, but the game remained scoreless. The third disputed goal came from a long free kick into the Inter 18 yard box. Walter Samuel and Toldo both challenged for the ball. Samuel's head made first contact, while Toldo and the ball dropped to the turf, and Samuel's second touch scored. Or not, since the referee blew up for a foul on Toldo. Again, a very harsh decision on Roma.

Roma finally received partial reward for their utter dominance just before half time. Totti laid a ball into Cassano's path, and he held off Iván Córdoba and Francisco Farinós long enough to lift the ball over Toldo. It was his eighth goal in seven games.

Inter, realising constantly having goals disallowed was no match plan, were more competitive in the second half. Adriano had bust a lung running for balls that never arrived for him, but with Javier Zanetti finally displaying some influence, Obafemi Martins replaced Adriano. Until that point Mancini had been lost in midfield, but Inter chasing the game also enabled him greater opportunities. Cassano spotted him running down the right wing, and launched a ball from the Roma half. Mancini cut inside, and possessed the confidence to take the shot himself rather than passing to Totti. 2-0.

Now pushing further forward, Inter pulled back a goal when a shot from Martins deflected up and to the left off Jonathan Zebina. Christian Vieri was well placed and unchallenged to hit the ball on the volley as it dropped. 15 minutes of sweeping end to end play followed during a finely poised period. A shot from Georgios Karagounis shaved the bar, and Emerson played Totti through to miss. The game was settled in the 88^th minute with Cassano running toward goal and Córdoba losing the chase. He felled Cassano, earning a red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, and Totti converted the subsequent penalty.

There remained one sparkling cherry to top the cake. Cassano's glorious footwork enabled him to circumvent Thomas Helveg and cut into the area, where he laid the ball on a plate for Mancini running in from the other side to finish the scoring.

Inter's form improved along with Cannavaro's match fitness, but the damage had been done and a run of seven wins and one defeat in their final nine games did no more than provide a sixth place finish on goal difference. Defeat to AC Milan three games before the end of the season killed any slim hope Roma had of winning the championship, and not managing to win either of their final two matches consigned them to third place.

Man of the Match: Cassano. Tireless running made him a constant threat. He scored the eventual opening goal and laid on a peach for the closer.