Roma came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw against Manchester City in their Champions League Group E clash.
City were awarded a penalty in the fourth minute when Maicon tugged back Sergio Aguero and the Argentine stepped up to convert from the spot.
Midway through the first half Roma drew level, as captain Francesco Totti ran through to chip an effort into the far corner.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at the Etihad Stadium.
Match Statistics:
Man City:
Shots 15
On Target 2
Possession 61%
Corners 7
Fouls 13
Roma:
Shots 9
On Target 4
Possession 39%
Corners 2
Fouls 16
Was the result fair?
In the end a draw was a fair reflection on how the evening panned out. City took the lead early on and will have been expected to put more pressure on their opponents, but the goal seemed to spark Roma into life and they levelled through a fine strike from Totti. Both teams worked plenty of goalscoring opportunities throughout the rest of the match, but a lack of cutting edge in the final third ensured that it finished level.
Man City's performance
Many were labelling this as a must-win game for City and they began the evening on the front foot by taking the lead inside of four minutes. However, they were unable to build on that good start and struggled to create chances in the first half. They allowed Roma far too much space to build attacks, but the introduction of James Milner and Frank Lampard after the break saw them gain a measure of control. They certainly looked the more likely to grab the three points in the closing stages, but their poor finishing cost them, with only two of their 15 attempts on goal finding the target.
Roma's performance
Roma have enjoyed a fine start to their season and they continued their unbeaten run with a well-drilled performance in Manchester. Rudi Garcia will have been disappointed in the manner that his side conceded their first goal, but it was the only blot on an otherwise solid defensive display. They also showed plenty of threat going forward, with Totti pulling the strings. A point was the least they deserved and it will give them plenty of confidence going into their double-header with Bayern Munich.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Francesco Totti: He may be nearing the end of his career, but Totti showed that he is still the heartbeat of this Roma side. The 38-year-old scored a fine goal in the first half and he constantly set up his team's attacks with a number of brilliant passes. His strike also saw him make history, as the oldest player to have scored in the Champions League.
Biggest gaffe
Maicon was fortunate to still be on the pitch after only four minutes of the match. It was his tug on Aguero that gave away the penalty and the referee was rather lenient at only showing him a yellow card. Instead, he went on to enjoy a fine game and even hit the bar with a powerful strike.
Referee's performance
It was a busy night for Bjorn Kuipers who was forced into making a big call early on. He got the penalty decision correct, but decided not to send off Maicon. There was also another penalty shout when Kostas Manolas handled a cross from Jesus Navas. This time he didn't give the spot kick, when perhaps he should have.
What next?
Man City: City return to Premier League action with a visit to Aston Villa on Saturday evening.
Roma: Roma face a top-of-the-table clash against Serie A rivals Juventus on Sunday.
Alex Meyers
