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Roma lost Francesco Totti to a knee injury and probably their Scudetto dreams too as Livorno snatched a 1-1 draw.
The Scudetto and relegation races intersected at the Olimpico, as the Giallorossi needed victory to keep the pressure on Inter and Livorno had to clamber off the foot of the table. Alberto Aquilani and Matteo Ferrari were out of action, while the visitors missed Giuliano Giannichedda, Luis Vidigal and David Balleri. The history books did not bode well for Livorno, who in 15 previous trips to Roma had earned one draw in 1933 and one win in 1947.
Both sides had early chances with Francesco Tavano's angled drive hitting the side-netting and Francesco Totti's free kick skimming the base of the upright. An indirect free kick touched on for Totti inside the box was charged down by the wall.
Matteo Melara was fortunate to avoid a dismissal with a horrible sliding studs-up tackle on David Pizarro's ankle, but was only flashed a yellow card. Rodrigo Taddei couldn't quite get enough contact on Max Tonetto's cross from the left, blasting it over the bar.
Totti was repeatedly touching his right knee and, as Marco Amelia fingertipped the daisy-cutter round the post, he fell awkwardly and was stretchered off to be replaced by Amantino Mancini. Before the Brazilian could come on, so when Roma were playing with 10 men, they had their best chance so far. Juan's free header from a corner was cleared off the line.
From another corner kick there were penalty appeals for a visible Nico Pulzetti handling offence waved away by Orsato.
Mirko Vucinic moved to centre-forward and smartly went round the back of his marker to meet a Taddei through ball, but was precariously balanced and fired over with only Amelia to beat.
Vucinic had another great chance on the counter, drilling over from a tight angle. Roma should have gone 1-0 up on 53 minutes with a well-worked move that found Daniele De Rossi totally unmarked on the penalty spot, but the ball fell somewhat deeper than expected and he volleyed it over.
It was a warning, as moments later the Giallorossi broke the deadlock with a splendid Vucinic looping header from seven yards that floated over the helpless Amelia from Pizarro's chipped pass.
That goal woke them up as Simone Perrotta's fierce volley was charged down and Amelia had his palms stung by a Pizarro follow-up. Livorno didn't fight back with any real change of attitude, so creative midfielder Alessandro Diamanti replaced Martin Bergvold.
Vucinic had another chance on the counter, but it was blocked by Fabio Galante and Taddei turned the loose ball off target. Cicinho hit the side-netting when he maybe should have passed into the centre, while Vucinic's glancing header from a corner was just wide.
Pizarro's foolish backheel in his own final third gave away the ball and Diamanti drilled just past the near post. Another Pizarro error caused a counter that Juan had to close down with a foul, but that left-foot free kick was curled brilliantly in at the near post by Diamanti to draw Livorno level.
Pizarro did not learn and as he ran into the box had another backheel that went nowhere, but De Rossi was more decisive with a rocket from distance that Amelia beat away. Roma were pouring forward in waves with another De Rossi effort, but Livorno clammed up effectively.
Deep into stoppages a long free kick was headed on by De Rossi, bringing a fantastic reaction save out of Amelia. Moments later Perrotta couldn't get enough on a Pizarro cross at the back post.
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