It took all of 24 matches but Cremonese finally won a Serie A game on Tuesday, and the most remarkable thing is that they recorded it over Roma after also shocking José Mourinho's team in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals at the beginning of the month.
No club in Europe's big five leagues had remained winless this long, but Cremonese — based in the Lombardy region of northern Italy — actually moved into 19th-place with all three points (12 overall) while dropping hapless Sampdoria (11 points) to dead last.
It was a damning defeat for Roma, who entered the day knowing they could move into third-place with a victory but instead finish it in fifth and outside of the Champions League spots (infuriatingly one point behind eternal rivals Lazio in fourth).
Cremonese took the lead at home in the 17th minute through Frank Tsadjout. The 23-year-old Italian striker had only opened his account the previous week but he's clearly now in red-hot form.
Frank Tsadjout's second Serie A goal is a STUNNER!
Roma are shocked. pic.twitter.com/dQV9JjWVpP— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 28, 2023
It was all too much for Mourinho.
Before halftime, the 60-year-old boss was sent off. He'd previously stormed down the tunnel before the halftime whistle of the Coppa defeat in a show of anger, but this time he was forced into performing the march.
A minute into the second half and Jose Mourinho was sent off for the third time this season. pic.twitter.com/9zwVCwzSeM
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 28, 2023
"For the first time in my career a referee has spoken to me in an unjustifiable way," Mourinho revealed after the match. "I'm not crazy. And to have the reaction I had is because something happened. I need to know now if I can do something from a legal point of view. (Referee Marco Piccinini) gave me the red because the fourth official told him so. But the fourth official doesn't have the honesty to also tell him what he told me, how he treated me and what provoked my reaction."
Leonardo Spinazzola brought Roma level in the 71st minute, but Cremonese earned a penalty that Daniel Ciofani buried in the 83rd for a famous 2-1 victory.
Cremonese retake the lead from the spot!
But was it a penatly?! pic.twitter.com/sbsxyGgnqD— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 28, 2023
Don't show these tearful celebrations to Roy Keane.
It took 24 games, a little under seven months and endless heartbreak for Cremonese to FINALLY get their first Serie A win of the season.
Look what it means. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/EckofOdtKn— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 28, 2023
"We didn't deserve to lose," Mourinho said. "The excuse of tiredness does not exist. The responsibility is ours, for a lack of intensity, lack of desire to close the game immediately. We paid too high a price, we didn't deserve to win but we didn't deserve to lose either. Especially for what we put in the second half, after the equalizer, we all thought we could win and then came the penalty episode."
Roma have a big home match against Juventus on Sunday followed by their Europa League last-16 first leg against Real Sociedad on March 9.
