Roma held in 'crazy' Leverkusen match

(ANSA) - Rome, October 21 - AS Roma came from behind to go up against Bayer Leverkusen and then risked losing after being caught in what Italian media agreed was a "crazy" game of football in Germany Tuesday night.
    Sono Pazzi Questi Romani (SPQR) ("These Romans Are Crazy") headlined La Gazzetta dello Sport over a report that highlighted the wild mood swings on a windy night in Leverkusen.
    Roma, desperate for points after just one draw in the group, fell behind to two 'Chicharito' Hernandez goals before levelling with a double by 'Captain Future' Daniele De Rossi and forging 4-2 up thanks to a delightful free kick from the deadly Miralem Pjanic and a cool finish to a classic counterattack from Iago Falque.
    But then the Giallorrosi were hit by a collective fit of the jitters as they were pulled back to 4-4 - and Hernandez just missed rounding off his hat-trick with a shot that whistled past the post, and nearly doomed the Romans to a group exit, in the dying minutes.
    It was the fifth time this season that Roma have conceded a decisive goal in the last 10 minutes - and was worsened this time when the follow-up came just two minutes later.
    "Two minutes of group madness pegged the Romans back in the most dramatic fashion," said La Repubblica, calling the match "one of the craziest roller-coaster rides ever seen".
    Roma now need to beat Bayer in Rome in two weeks' time, and BATE Borisov a fortnight after, also at the Olimpico, to advance to the knock-out stage without having to get a result against European champions Barcelona in their last game.