Late drama as Roma and Milan draw in battle for Serie A's Champions League berths
With two routes into next season’s UEFA Champions League still available to them, Jose Mourinho’s Roma side welcomed fellow top-four chasers Milan to the Stadio Olimpico looking to make a statement.
Instead, it was the visitors, decked in their traditional all-white away strip, who came closest to finding an opener. Arriving late onto Brahim Diaz’s clipped back-post cross, Rade Krunic was unable to guide a looping header towards the Roma goal.
However, the Bosnian wasn’t alone in spurning opportunities, with teammate Davide Calabria missing the target with a drilled right-footed effort on the stroke of half-time.
Second best for much of the first period, Roma once again found themselves under the cosh early in the second half.
In truth, Milan ought to - once again - have taken the lead, with Saelemaekers this time the man spurning a golden chance from inside the 18-yard box. The Belgian international failed to guide a first-time volley from Rafael Leao’s chipped cutback goalwards, adding to the collective frustration growing among the swathes of travelling fans cooped into the corner of the Olimpico.
As the match progressed and the Rome sky melted from dusk into night, the likelihood of a winning goal dwindled with each passing minute. In actual fact, the closing stages felt like a match between two sides fighting to avoid the drop at the bottom of the table, as opposed to one being played out by two top-four chasers.
However, as has happened now on seven occasions this season, Roma netted after the clock ticked beyond the 90-minute mark, with Abraham slotting a well-timed finish following a killer counter-attack.
It looked as if Roma had performed the ultimate smash-and-grab after what had felt like somewhat of an undeserved victory.
Down, but certainly, not out, Milan lifted themselves off the canvas to net an added-time goal of their own. Saelemaekers, who missed an almost identical chance earlier in the contest, popped up in the 97th minute to steal the most unlikely of equalisers.
It’s as you were in the top four, with Milan’s city rivals Inter the side benefitting the most.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rafael Leao (AC Milan)