Roma got away with an early defensive error, while Brescia threatened to score an own goal and Aleksandar Kolarov’s free kick was saved.
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The Giallorossi had stopped the flow of three consecutive defeats with a controversial midweek win over Parma, but Bryan Cristante and Henrikh Mkhitaryan sat out bans, with Chris Smalling still injured and Edin Dzeko fatigued, so Federico Fazio joined the three-man defence and Nikola Kalinic started upfront. Brescia were in penultimate place and looking increasingly doomed, but Jhon Chancellor and Emanuele Ndoj returned, with Andrea Cistana, Dimitri Bisoli and Enrico Alfonso still out of action. To make matters worse, Jesse Joronen pulled out during the warm-up, so Lorenzo Andrenacci got his second game of the season as third-choice goalkeeper.
It was a shambolic start for Roma, as in the opening two minutes Ernesto Torregrossa ran clear onto a ball over the top, then Roger Ibanez was robbed inside his own penalty area, Sandro Tonali’s goal disallowed for a push.
At the other end, Andrenacci only parried the Jordan Veretout snapshot, but did well to smother the rebound from Lorenzo Pellegrini.
Kalinic nodded a Bruno Peres cross over the bar, then another of the Brazilian’s assists was deflected by Chancellor, forcing Andrenacci into a point-blank reaction save to prevent the own goal.
Birkir Bjarnason tested Antonio Mirante from distance, but when Bruno Peres put another fine cross into the box, Kalinic again couldn’t keep his header on target.
Carles Perez controlled a smart Fazio ball over the top and ran away from defenders, but his angled drive skimmed the far post.
Andrenacci got his gloves to an Aleksandar Kolarov free kick heading for the top corner.
Brescia 0-0 Roma (Half-Time)
Brescia: Andrenacci; Sabelli, Chancellor, Papetti, Mangraviti; Ndoj, Tonali, Bjarnason; Spalek; Torregrossa, Skrabb
Roma: Mirante; Mancini, Fazio, Ibanez; Bruno Peres, Veretout, Diawara, Kolarov; Carles Perez, Pellegrini; Kalinic
Ref: Calvarese