November 5, 2023 | MULTIBET

Lukaku redeems himself as he scores a late Roma winner

AS Roma staged a remarkable comeback against US Lecce, scoring two stoppage-time goals and extending their unbeaten head-to-head run at the Stadio Olimpico to 17 matches (W15, D2).

Under the watchful eye of José Mourinho, Roma quickly asserted their dominance, earning a penalty within two minutes when Federico Baschirotto’s arm deflected Paulo Dybala’s goal-bound shot. However, Romelu Lukaku’s spot-kick was saved by Wladimiro Falcone. Undeterred, Roma continued their offensive onslaught, with Dybala orchestrating the attack. He came close to breaking the deadlock with a sublime flick and volley, narrowly missing the target.

Despite Lecce weathering Roma’s storm, the first half ended goalless, with neither side creating clear opportunities. The second half started more evenly, with Lecce maintaining their positive momentum and Roma posing threats on the counter. Lukaku, denied earlier by Falcone, faced another thwarted attempt as his shot was saved.

In a surprising turn, Lecce took the lead when Pontus Almqvist capitalized on a loose ball in the box, beating Rui Patrício near his post. Roma, stunned by the setback, made strategic substitutions, bringing in fresh players from the bench. Two substitutes, Nicola Zalewski and Sardar Azmoun, combined effectively, as Azmoun headed in Zalewski’s delivery, setting the stage for a tense finale in stoppage time.

The equalizer shifted the momentum drastically, and Roma seemed destined to secure a late victory. In the 94th minute, Dybala found Lukaku, who displayed remarkable composure in the box, holding off a defender and slotting the ball past Falcone. This last-minute triumph propelled Mourinho’s team to eighth place, trailing the European spots by just one point.

Villa drop points in shock Nottingham win

Nottingham Forest defied expectations by ending Aston Villa’s six-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W5, D1) with a confident Premier League victory at the City Ground.

Despite a string of six Premier League games without a win (D4, L2), Forest’s strong home form provided hope, having not lost a league match at the City Ground this season (W1, D3). Facing a formidable Villa side, Forest took an early lead within five minutes when Ola Aina skillfully side-footed Harry Toffolo’s cut-back into the net – Aina’s first goal for Forest and only his sixth senior career goal.

Although only three of their 12 home league goals had come before halftime, Steve Cooper’s team capitalized on their quick start, keeping Villa mostly at bay and posing threats during transitions. Villa managed to breach Forest’s defense once, but Nicolò Zaniolo’s low shot was expertly saved by Premier League debutant Odysseas Vlachodimos. Both teams had penalty appeals turned down as the first half concluded, allowing Forest to go into halftime in the lead.

Ollie Watkins demonstrated his determination with an early shot on target after the restart, but within two minutes, Forest extended their lead. Emiliano Martínez, who received the Yashin Trophy recently, made a rare error, allowing Orel Mangala’s long-range effort to bounce over the goal line, giving Forest an unexpected two-goal advantage.

Despite their previous setback against Luton Town, Forest remained resolute in defense, thwarting several Villa attacks as time dwindled. Villa intensified their attacking efforts in the final moments but ultimately fell short, failing to score in the Premier League for only the second time this season and maintaining just one clean sheet in their last eight games. Meanwhile, Forest’s valuable three points propelled them to 12th place, having lost only one of their last five league matches (W1, D3).

Liverpool walks alone after being held by Lionhearts

Luton Town, known as Lionheart Luton, managed to hold Liverpool to a 1-1 draw in an intense match at Kenilworth Road. Jürgen Klopp’s team rescued a late draw when Luis Díaz scored a last-minute header, after Luton Town had come remarkably close to a memorable victory.

The match took place on a chilly November evening, marking the first meeting between these teams since 2008. Despite the vast difference in stadium size, Luton exhibited immense determination and courage against their more renowned opponents. Even though Darwin Núñez’s early attempt hit the crossbar, Luton continued to press forward, with Chiedozie Ogbene’s impressive play creating opportunities.

The game’s pace settled down after a frenetic start, with Luton organizing their defense while Liverpool launched attacks. Klopp’s team, sensing an opportunity, had several close chances, but a brilliant save by Thomas Kaminski denied Diogo Jota’s side-footed effort in the first half.

Liverpool’s struggles against newly promoted teams from the previous season raised concerns about their confidence. Despite the frustration, Luton, under the guidance of Rob Edwards, made it challenging for Liverpool, ensuring they had to fight for every opportunity.

Luton showcased their knack for late goals, threatening Liverpool’s defense with Ogbene’s skill and Núñez’s missed opportunities. The game took a dramatic turn when Tahith Chong capitalized on a swift counterattack, scoring for Luton, even as Liverpool appealed for a penalty. However, the excitement didn’t end there, as Díaz rose high to secure a crucial point for Liverpool in the final minutes of the game.

Newcastle United triumph over Arsenal in controversial match

Newcastle United defeated Arsenal 1-0 at St James’ Park on Saturday evening, extending their unbeaten Premier League run to seven games. However, the match was overshadowed by a controversial VAR review in the build-up to Newcastle’s winning goal.

The Magpies took the lead in the 56th minute through Anthony Gordon, who fired home from close range after David Raya spilled Joe Willock’s cross. However, the goal was initially disallowed by referee Stuart Attwell for offside, before being overturned by VAR following a lengthy review.

The VAR review took into account three factors: whether Willock’s cross had gone out of play before Gordon scored, whether Joelinton had fouled Gabriel in the build-up, and whether there was an offside infringement. In the end, the VAR ruled that none of these factors had occurred, and the goal was allowed to stand.

Arsenal protested the decision, arguing that Willock’s cross had gone out of play, but their appeals fell on deaf ears. The Gunners had several chances to equalise in the second half, but they were unable to find a breakthrough, and Newcastle held on to secure a famous victory.

The win was a major blow to Arsenal’s title hopes, as it left them three points adrift of league leaders Manchester City. Newcastle, on the other hand, moved up to sixth place in the table, and they are now within three points of the top four.

The match was also notable for the controversial performance of VAR official Andy Madley. The VAR review in the build-up to Newcastle’s goal took over three minutes to complete, and it was not clear what Madley was actually reviewing. Some pundits have even accused Madley of “making up the rules” in order to give Newcastle the goal.

Despite the controversy, Newcastle’s victory was a deserved one. The Magpies were the better team for most of the match, and they created more clear-cut chances than Arsenal. Eddie Howe’s side are now one of the most in-form teams in the Premier League, and they will be looking to challenge for a European place this season.