Totti creates media sensation with goal selfie

(ANSA) - Rome, January 12 - AS Roma captain Francesco Totti created a media sensation by taking a selfie after completing a double to earn his side a 2-2 draw in Sunday's derby with city rivals Lazio.
    It is not rare for sports stars to take selfies in celebration.
    But Totti's was unprecedented in Italian football as he took the picture with his mobile phone during the match rather than at the end of it.
    It is not an absolute first. Dom Dwyer also did doing the same for MLS side Sporting Kansas City a 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire in July. But in contrast to Dwyer, Totti managed to pull the stunt without getting a yellow card.
    "I don't usually take selfies because I want my private life to stay that way," said Totti, who unlike many footballers does not use social media websites.
    "But this was a unique occasion, something to be remembered for a long time".
    Totti's second goal on Sunday, a remarkable scissor kick that looked like it was the result of karate lessons, took his tally in the Rome derby to 11, making him the city duel's most prolific scorer. Things looked bad for Roma on Sunday when Felipe Anderson and Stefano Mauri deservedly gave third-placed Lazio a 2-0 lead in the first half of the derby.
    But Totti, 38, capitalised on some lax defending to level for the title chasers.
    The double also consolidated Totti's position as Serie A's second top scorer of all time with 239th goals. Silvio Piola holds the record with the 274 he notched between 1929 and 1954 for Pro Vercelli, Lazio, Juventus and Novara. The striker's heroics, however, could not stop Juventus extending their lead at the top of Serie A at the weekend.
    The Turin giants, who are chasing their fourth consecutive league title, moved to 43 points from 18 games, three more than second-placed Roma, with a 3-1 win at Napoli.
    Goals by Paul Pogba, Martin Caceres and Arturo Vidal gave Juventus victory in Naples.