Roma have held Juventus to a 1-1 draw in a feisty Serie A clash at the Stadio Olimpico this evening that saw 10 bookings and a dismissal.
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Following a tentative start where both teams strove to physically impose themselves on the game, the visitors had the first chance as Arturo Vidal blasted a volley wide from inside the area.
There was a scare for the Giallorossi 20 minutes in when Kostas Manolas, in a bid to thwart a Vidal cross from reaching Alvaro Morata, side-footed the ball just inches wide of his own goal.
Roma pushed forward on the half-hour mark as Jose Holebas swung a hopeful ball into the Juve box from the left, but neither Francesco Totti nor Seydou Keita were able to make the most of it.
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The Old Lady had the final say of the first half when Adem Ljajic was dispossessed on the touchline before the visitors launched a fierce counter-attack, but Carlos Tevez's long-range effort was deflected wide and away from danger.
Three players were booked in the opening 45 minutes and the crunching tackles continued to fly after the restart, with Vasilis Torosidis receiving his marching orders just after the hour mark for a second yellow.
Moments later, Roma were punished when Tevez curled a pinpoint free kick past into the top corner of the net to give the visitors the lead.
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However, the Giallorossi picked themselves up and were soon troubling their opponents, as Gianluigi Buffon was forced to palm a Manolas header around the post.
In the 78th minute, Roma sent the Olimpico wild when Alessandro Florenzi's free-kick delivery was nodded in at the back post by Keita.
The game opened up in the latter stages as both teams pushed forward desperately in a bid to nick the decisive goal, but neither could achieve this as the final whistle meant a share of the points.
Leaders Juventus and second-placed Roma remain separated by a nine-point gap at the top of Serie A.
Giuseppe Labellarte
