| Roma's title dreams evaporated in the Sicilian heat, though the real result that killed them off was at the Tardini. Catania's last-gasp equaliser saves them from relegation.
The Scudetto race went down to the wire, as the Giallorossi fought back from an 11-point deficit in February to challenge until the final 90 minutes. Just one point adrift of Inter, they needed to win here and hope the Nerazzurri faltered at the Tardini. Yet this intersected with the race to avoid relegation, as both Catania and Parma also needed victories, setting up a powderkeg atmosphere.
Roma were unbeaten in 10 and had won their last three on the trot, while they famously thrashed Catania 7-1 at the Olimpico last season. Walter Zenga's men were already one minute from safety last week until Alex Del Piero's equaliser for Juventus, so they were fired up too. Juan, Alexander Doni and Giuseppe Mascara were injury doubts as well as certain absentees Francesco Totti, Rodrigo Taddei and Gionatha Spinesi.
Of the 10 previous top flight meetings here, they had won two apiece. The sides also clashed in the Coppa Italia semi-finals earlier this month with Roma going through 2-1 on aggregate, held 1-1 at the Massimino. The visiting fans were barred amid fears of crowd trouble and the Roma team bus had its windows smashed by rocks on the way to the arena.
David Pizarro's right-foot snapshot whistled wide and it was Mirko Vucinic who broke through with a fantastic individual goal. The Montenegrin started from midfield, dribbled past four Catania players and placed a snooker-shot in off the inside of the far post. Doni, who suffered a new shoulder problem during the warm-up, held a Jorge Vargas attempt. With this result and others elsewhere, Catania would be relegated, so the tension was sky high with a few scuffles. A cheeky Vargas backheel flick from a free kick went over the bar. Catania threatened an equaliser on the half-hour mark, as Silvestri's header from a Vargas free kick skimmed the upright with Doni rooted to the spot. Amantino Mancini could have made it 2-0, but hit the side-netting after a mazy run. Doni needed an extraorinary reaction save to deny Giacomo Tedesco's deflection at full stretch on another dangerous Vargas free kick. Taka Morimoto came on for the second half. There was a curious moment on 49 minutes, as the ball was put back in play after two were on the pitch, but Catania's Tedesco 'stole' it and went for goal, eventually closed down by Daniele De Rossi. Davide Baiocco had a great chance to draw level, but blasted wide from the penalty spot on a loose ball. Morimoto had a totally free header from six yards, but lost his footing and nodded over! News filtered through that Inter had taken the lead, which would make Roma's victory in vain. Catania hit the bar again with a Biagianti screamer from distance, though several of his teammates were offside. Doni performed a stunning one-handed reaction save on Morimoto's header from another free kick. Catania seemed to be curse, as a minute later they hit the bar again with a close-range Morimoto flick. The tension was sky high on 82 minutes when Stovini's header was deflected in off Giuseppe Mascara, but only after the celebrations did Catania realise it had been correctly disallowed for Mascara's offside position. The news that Inter were 2-0 up with six minutes to go made Roma give up their Scudetto hopes, but Catania still needed a goal to avoid relegation. They got it eventually as Martinez tapped in the deflected Morimoto effort from six yards. | 
