Francesco Totti called time on his 24-year career as a Roma player with a well-timed substitute appearance that inspired the Giallorossi to beat Genoa 3-2.
The 40-year-old, who will seek a new challenge following this curtain call, basked in the adulation of the Stadio Olimpico crowd for 54 minutes before making his 786th outing for his hometown club.
Edin Dzeko had already scored his 29th goal of the season to cancel out Pietro Pellegri’s history-making opener. The 16-year-old is the first player born in 2001 to notch in the Italian top flight.
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) May 28, 2017
Totti’s lionised introduction heralded a determined push forward, with direct entry to the Champions League group stage at stake, and, after Daniele De Rossi saw his goal scrubbed out by Darko Lazovic, Diego Perotti ensured a victorious send-off for the veteran by notching near the end.
As the saying goes – out with the old, in with the new. Totti was 16 when he made his senior debut as a substitute at Brescia in March 1993, but he did not score that day – something Genoan teenager Pellegri achieved here.
The schoolboy born in March 2001, just months before Totti won his only Scudetto, raced onto a long pass down the right wing and, after protecting the ball from Kostas Manolas, found the back of the net with a deft finish.
A closer look at the special gift presented to Francesco Totti after his final Roma game.#ThanksTotti #TottiDay #ASRoma #Totti pic.twitter.com/r5jEScB0Sk— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) May 28, 2017
In the 10th minute Roma were level. Dzeko, the prolific Bosnian who has so impressively kept Totti out of the team this term, controlled Kevin Strootman’s pass before smacking it against a post and coolly chesting home the rebound.
Nine minutes into the second half, it was time for Totti. The long-serving number 10 replaced Mohamed Salah to rapturous applause.
Totti – famous for his ‘cucchiao’ chipped finish at his peak – lofted the ball forward for Strootman to shave paint off a post in the 67th minute and the magic kept coming from the evergreen striker with a splendid defence-splitting pass.
A 90th minute winner from #Perotti clinches second place and Champions League qualification for #ASRoma! #RomaGenoa #TottiDaypic.twitter.com/Yagk5Hr5hF— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) May 28, 2017
Roma’s second most fielded player, De Rossi – a mere 225 outings behind Totti – got the goal the Giallorossi deserved with 15 minutes remaining.
Strootman’s creativity finally paid off as his pinpoint cross found Dzeko, who passed the ball backwards for De Rossi to steer in a low effort.
However, Lazovic got past Antonio Rudiger to head in an unwelcome leveller five minutes later.
With Napoli busily putting Sampdoria to the sword in Genoa, Roma risked slipping into third place, and something had to give as full-time drew near.
Totti was not directly involved when the winner came, as Radja Nainggolan’s free-kick found Dzeko before falling to Perotti just a few feet from the goal-line.
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