Roma 3-4 Sassuolo: Jose Mourinho’s quest for Champions League football hits a major setback

Roma 3-4 Sassuolo: Jose Mourinho’s quest for Champions League football hits a major setback as his side are beaten at home in thriller… after falling 2-0 behind inside 18 minutes before Marash Kumbulla red card scuppered comeback hopes

  • Roma suffer seventh Serie A loss of the season against mid-table opposition
  • Sassuolo stunned Jose Mourinho’s side in seven-goal thriller in Rome 
  • Marash Kumbulla was sent off for the hosts who tried to rally late on

Seven goals, a sending off, and a fuming Jose Mourinho is the short summary of Roma’s torrid home 3-4 home defeat against Sassuolo on Sunday evening.

Roma’s quest for Champions League football hit another setback as three different visiting goalscorers inflicted a seventh defeat of the season on Mourinho’s men.

Armand Lauriente’s quick-fire brace with goals in the space of five minutes of each other put the hosts on the back-foot early on as Roma sought to build on victory over Juventus last time out.

Roma reduced the deficit as Nicola Zalewski’s effort pulled them back into the game midway through the first-half before Domenico Berardi’s late penalty reinstated Sassuolo’s two-goal advantage that saw Marash Kumbulla sent off.

Paulo Dybala momentarily attempted to lead a fightback after scoring in the 50th minute, but Roma were again pegged back through Andrea Pinamonti’s strike.

Jose Mourinho watched on as Sassuolo hampered Roma’s quest for Champions League football

Roma's Georginio Wijnaldum (left) rescued Roma from embarrassment by scoring a late consolation goal

Roma’s Georginio Wijnaldum (left) rescued Roma from embarrassment by scoring a late consolation goal 

Roma fans showed their support for Jose Mourinho by holding up banners that read: 'Whoever defends the colours of Rome is our ally. Go Mourinho!'

Roma fans showed their support for Jose Mourinho by holding up banners that read: ‘Whoever defends the colours of Rome is our ally. Go Mourinho!’

Paulo Dybala (left) attempted to pull the hosts back into the game with a strike in the 50th minute momentarily reducing the deficit

Paulo Dybala (left) attempted to pull the hosts back into the game with a strike in the 50th minute momentarily reducing the deficit

Former Liverpool forward Georginio Wijnaldum rescued what would have been an embarrassing scoreline for Roma fans to absorb by scoring in stoppage time, however it wasn’t enough to salvage even a point.  

Pressure has been mounting on Mourinho who in his second season in charge of Roma has showed tell-tale signs of frustration that have followed him throughout spells in charge of other clubs.

But instead of condemning their manager to more misery, Roma’s faithful displayed messages of support inside the Stadio Olimpico.

One unfurled banner read: ‘Whoever defends the colours of Rome is our ally. Go Mourinho!’