Donyell Malen scored a dramatic 101st-minute penalty to complete a stunning comeback for Roma, securing a 2-3 victory over Parma at the Stadio Ennio Tardini and keeping their Champions League qualification hopes within reach. Mario Hermoso started for Roma but was replaced by Daniele Ghilardi in the 53rd minute.
Roma remain locked in a fierce battle to return to Europe’s elite after eight long seasons away. Early on, it seemed Malen had given the visitors a giant step forward when he beat Zion Suzuki in the ninth minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside as the striker was marginally ahead of the last defender.
After a brief pause, referee Daniele Chiffi became the center of attention again, dismissing Roma’s protests for a potential penalty after Gianluca Mancini went down in the box following a heavy challenge.
However, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side didn’t have to wait long to celebrate the opening goal. Just two minutes later, Paulo Dybala slipped a through ball to Malen, who controlled exquisitely with his knee and rifled an unstoppable shot into the corner. Matias Soulé nearly doubled the lead with a header in the 29th minute, but Parma were saved again, this time by the post, and went into halftime just a goal down.
With top scorer Mateo Pellegrino on the bench, Parma needed someone to step up. Gabriel Strefezza answered the call, latching onto a pinpoint pass from Hans Nicolussi Caviglia and beating Mile Svilar with a precise finish just three minutes after the restart.
The equalizer should have lasted only four minutes, as Malen found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper again, but Suzuki made a decisive save to keep the scores level.
From that moment, the match became an end-to-end thriller. Substitute Pellegrino thought he had put Parma ahead with a header, but offside again intervened and the goal was ruled out. Malen and Suzuki continued their personal duel in the 73rd minute, with the goalkeeper producing another outstanding intervention to maintain the deadlock.
Things got even tougher for Roma when Mandela Keita appeared to seal the win for Parma with a stunning strike from inside the area, his first league goal since the 2022-2023 season. But Gasperini’s men responded immediately. Substitute Devyne Rensch equalized with a precise finish to the far post in the fourth minute of added time.
Moments later, Rensch was brought down in the box, allowing Malen to step up and convert the penalty in the 101st minute. Sascha Britschgi was the guilty party, receiving a second yellow card on a pivotal afternoon for Roma, who provisionally move level on points with fourth-placed Milan.
Player of the Match: Paulo Dybala (Roma)