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Roma were less than commanding, but managed to beat Reggina 2-0 with goals from Christian Panucci and Amantino Mancini.
Luciano Spalletti had to get his men back on track after the shock 3-0 thrashing at Siena that left them eight points adrift of Inter. Reggina's confidence was also hit by defeat to Torino after wins over Catania and Cagliari had pushed them away from the drop zone.
This fixture had never ended in a draw with five home wins and two Amaranto triumphs, most recently 2-1 in April 2005. The first chance fell to Reggina, Edgar Barreto's shot charged down by Christian Panucci in the box.
Roma fought back and former Giallorossi man Andrea Campagnolo flew to palm an Amantino Mancini strike out of the top corner of the net. A Francesco Totti header flashed Cicinho's cross just past the near post.
Panucci had been threatening with a couple of headers and finally got it on target after 21 minutes. The veteran defender was at the back post, practically on the byline, to nod Totti's cross over Campagnolo and into the far corner. It was an unusual finish, as it seemed to curl around the goalkeeper.
Alexander Doni smothered a Franco Brienza snapshot and Luca Vigiani looped over. Totti thought he'd scored one of the greatest goals of his career, but the overhead kick only hit the side-netting after Campagnolo flapped at a cross.
Totti went on a strong run and when he was closed down De Rossi's follow-up was deflected off target. The resulting corner was not dealt with an Totti didn't get enough contact to Alberto Aquilani's cross on a free header.
Aquilani risked scoring an own goal just before the break, as his scuffed clearance from a corner bounced inches past the near post.
Reggina introduced former Lazio striker Stephen Makinwa and immediately perked up, a long move eventually closed down by a diving Philippe Mexes intervention to stop Vigiani. Nicola Amoruso also came on for a trident attack and his glancing header on Francesco Modesto's cross was fingertipped round the far post.
Doni captured a fierce Maurizio Lanzaro strike and Ludovic Giuly created a chance for Aquilani. Mancini's thunderbolt whistled over the bar from 25 metres.
It was mainly Reggina in control now and Valdez nodded a powerful Barreto free kick past the near post. The Amaranto had equalised on 68 minutes with Barreto's rocket from distance, but the goal was correctly disallowed because it passed under Amoruso's foot and he was in a clear offside position.
However, Roma clung on under pressure and doubled their lead. Mancini finished it off, but Giuly deserves much of the credit, as his wonderful solo run dribbling past four players saw his left-foot strike parried into the path of the Brazilian.
Less than 60 seconds later Reggina shook the frame of the goal as Makinwa sprinted past Mexes and smacked a rising shot against the bar.
Mancini set up a great chance for Aquilani, but it was charged down, then another effort from the Italian dipped just over the bar.
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