Francesco Totti and Roma Hold Manchester City to a Draw

Given all the attention we've devoted to Francesco Totti this week, and, well, I guess because our site is dedicated to him, it was only fitting that Totti saved the day with his trademark chip of the keeper.  Sure, Roma's winless run on English soil continues, but thanks to Totti's 23^rd minute goal, the Giallorossi escaped the Etihad with one point and currently sit in second place in Group E, the famed group of death.

Things certainly didn't start out so rosy for Roma, as Maicon took down Sergio Aguero in the box in only the fourth minute. El Kun beat Lukasz Skorupski low and away, giving the young keeper's Champions League career an inauspicious start, but there wasn't much anyone could do about that anyway.

We'll save the detailed analysis for later, but bear witness to yet another miracle from Saint Totti:

It makes perfect sense that this run of play started with a calm toe poke from Seydou Keita, who has been an absolute revelation for Roma--and for free! Keita found Radja Nainggolan in open space, giving him plenty of time (though he didn't need it) to thread the ball through to Totti.

Well, from there, you know how it goes, it's been happening for two decades. Totti lets the ball run, gets himself in position and deftly chips it over the on-rushing Joe Hart, who had no other recourse than to watch in shame as the ball ever so delicately sailed over his flailing left arm and bounced into the goal, robbing City of three points.

Although Roma had a chance to grab three points of their own in the waning moments of the first half, Totti's 23^rd minute goal, which made him the oldest man to ever score in the Champions League, walking away from Manchester with a point in hand has to be considered a moral victory. As it currently stands, Roma have four points and a +4 goal differential (which is the best in the group) and sit only two points behind their next opponent, Bayern Munich.

There isn't much left to say other than, All Hail, Totti.