Vučinić fires Roma through

AS Roma confirmed their place in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League with a comfortable win against FC Dynamo Kyiv that left the Ukraine side without a point in the section and ended their hopes of claiming the UEFA Cup place.

Vučinić double
Mirko Vučinić made sure Roma talisman Francesco Totti was not missed by scoring a goal in each half, and the Giallorossi took command from the outset. First-half strikes from Christian Panucci, Vučinić and Ludovic Giuly made the points safe by the interval and though Ismaël Bangoura pulled one back after the break, the in-form Vučinić restored Roma’s three-goal margin late in the game.

Panucci opener
Tiberiu Ghioane had the first shot of the night, bringing a sprawling save from Doni in only the first minute. Roma, though, were soon in control and went ahead on four minutes. Panucci crossed low into the box from near the right touchline and the ball evaded everyone including the on-rushing Vučinić before finding its way beyond Olexandr Rybka and into the net.

Roma chances
The 20-year-old Rybka was deputising for the injured Olexandr Shovkovskiy, one of a number of changes forced upon coach Oleh Luzhny as his side looked for their first points of the campaign. The hosts, playing the last match at NSC Olympiyskiy Stadium before it closes for renovation work ahead of UEFA EURO 2012™, responded with another long-range effort, this time from Miloš Ninković. Roma, though, were making the better chances and should have doubled their lead on nine minutes when Max Tonetto picked out the unmarked Panucci who headed just wide.

Giuly goal
Dynamo created their best chance on 12 minutes when Bangoura cut in from the left and forced a fine save from Doni, before Giuly headed wide when well placed at the other end. A second Roma goal was not long in coming, Giuly striking with 32 minutes played. Marco Cassetti’s tackle on Ruslan Rotan near the half-way line resulted in the ball breaking through the Dynamo defence. It was latched on to by Giuly who rounded Rybka to score.

Vučinić scores
Dynamo, without injured first-choice defenders Rodrigo and Pape Diakhate, were stretched at the back and four minutes later Roma scored again. Giuly played the ball into the path of Vučinić who stroked it low past the advancing Rybka and into the far corner for his second goal of the campaign.

Bangoura goal
Dynamo came back stronger after the interval and pulled a goal back on 63 minutes. Substitute Valentin Belkevich and Maksim Shatskikh combined well before Shatskikh teed up Bangoura on the edge of the area and the 22-year-old striker sent a low shot beyond Doni.

Vučinić again
Roma had taken their foot off the pedal but were still threatening on the break and both David Pizarro and Vučinić came close before the latter completed the scoring 12 minutes from time. Tonetto pulled the ball back from the touchline to the Montenegrin striker who calmly picked his spot from the edge of the area to leave Rybka rooted to the spot.