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Roma threw away a 2-0 lead at the Castellani as Sebastian Giovinco snatched a dramatic last-minute 2-2 draw.
Luciano Spalletti returned to his old hunting ground, as he started his career at the Castellani in Serie C1 back in 1993-94, leading them to two promotions and a 12th-place top flight finish. He had to keep his men motivated after fantastic wins over Milan and Lazio, as the Champions League trip to Sporting Lisbon was looming.
Still without the injured Francesco Totti, Alberto Aquilani and Christian Panucci, Daniele De Rossi joined the absentee list thanks to a ban. Empoli had even worse problems with
Antonio Busce, Guillermo Giacomazzi, Rej Volpato and goalkeeper Daniele Balli sidelined. This was the first time since May 17, 2003 - before Spalletti took charge - that Roma's starting XI did not include a single homegrown player. Brazilian Amantino Mancini inherited the captain's armband.
Curiously, the Giallorossi had lost their last two Serie A visits to Empoli, both with a 1-0 scoreline, and Spalletti had never beaten his old club. Within 70 seconds the home side had threatened a goal with Francesco Marianini's shot on the bounce flashing past the top corner.
Roma took the lead with some of their typical champagne football. A series of intricate passes involving David Pizarro, Simone Perrotta and Mancini was finished off by Ludovic Giuly's low drive to Davide Bassi's left.
Empoli needed some more creativity to get back into the game and threw on Under-21 starlet Sebastian Giovinco to replace Marianini, who had a head wound after an accidental collision.
Mancini sprinted through the Empoli defence only to fire straight at goalkeeper Bassi's legs. The Brazilian was better as a provider than a finisher, as he dribbled down the left of the penalty area surrounded by three defenders, but still got the cross in for Matteo Brighi's powerful header.
Juan nodded a Pizarro corner kick over the bar from six yards, while Mirko Vucinic struck the side-netting on Giuly's assist.
Cristiano Doni dealt with dangerous headers from Nicola Pozzi and Andrea Raggi, but Bassi needed two attempts to get Pizarro's free kick under control. Giovinco went very close with a fine solo effort as he dribbled past defenders to drill just over the bar.
Empoli re-opened the game on 67 minutes with a spectacular and sudden right-foot snapshot from over 25 metres that dipped mercilessly into the far top corner with Doni rooted to the spot.
It was a different game now and Pozzi twice threatened an equaliser in the space of 60 seconds, forcing Roma and Doni to scramble clear. One was a strike, the other a touched-on corner kick that neither Saudati nor Pozzi could convert from point-blank range.
Doni captured Giovinco's free kick and at the other end substitute Barusso just failed to turn in Cicinho's cross. Mancini went off in the final five minutes, so the captain's armband went to Matteo Ferrari.
Roma threw away their 2-0 lead in stoppages, as Juventus-owned talent Giovinco saw Doni off his line and floated a free kick into the far top corner where the goalkeeper was left stranded.
The Giallorossi poured forward, but it was too late to recover the situation and a header whistled wide of the upright.
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