Roma pulled off an astonishing 3-2 victory at Parma, with Donyell Malen converting a dramatic penalty in the 101st minute to complete an incredible comeback that keeps their Champions League dreams alive.

The Giallorossi arrived at the Stadio Ennio Tardini riding high after thrashing Fiorentina 4-0, but the pressure was on following Juventus's 1-0 win at Lecce the night before. Coach Paulo Dybala deployed Malen and Matias Soulé together for only the second time since January 25, with key attackers Lorenzo Pellegrino, Bryan Zaragoza, Artem Dovbyk, and Evan Ferguson sidelined through injury. Parma, already safe from relegation, were missing Adrian Bernabé, Gaetano Oristanio, and Matija Frigan.

Malen thought he'd opened the scoring in the ninth minute, controlling a long ball over the top and flicking it past goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, but the flag went up for offside. Roma kept pressing, and Gianluca Mancini had penalty appeals waved away after Lautaro Valenti caught him on the ankle—VAR deciding not to recommend a review.

The breakthrough came moments later when Manu Kone intercepted in midfield, Dybala played a perfectly weighted one-touch pass, and Malen raced through to beat the onrushing Suzuki. Roma should have doubled their lead when Soulé's free header from a Dybala cross thumped against the far post, and Mario Hermoso flashed a dangerous ball across goal just beyond Malen.

But football is a game of fine margins. Mile Svilar was nearly caught out by a poor Evan Ndicka back-pass, forced into a desperate tackle on Gabriel Strefezza. Parma sensed blood, and with the clock ticking past the 87th minute, they turned the game on its head to lead 2-1—setting the stage for the most dramatic of finales.