Late own goal gifts Roma a draw

      LISBON (AFP) - An own goal in the dying seconds gifted Roma a 2-2 draw against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League here on Wednesday.

      With the seconds ticking away Sporting Lisbon appeared to have done enough to snatch all three points with goals either side of the break from Liedson.

      But as Roma's ranks rowed up outside the hosts' goalmouth a David Pizarro shot took a wild deflection off Anderson Polga with the ball flying past the hapless Tiago.

      Roma turned up in the Portuguese capital without their emblematic captain Francesco Totti with the Italian striker still nursing a right foot injury he picked up two weeks ago while playing in the sides' first group encounter in Rome.

      Roma manager Luciano Spalletti was also missing defender Christian Panucci, and midfielders Alberto Aquilani and Taddei from his squad list.

      Totti was replaced by Montenegran Mirko Vucinic, who scored the winning goal in Roma's 2-1 win over Sporting last month.

      But it was defender Marco Cassetti who was to give the Italians an early advantage.

      He came up with the fastest goal of the night, giving Roma a fourth minute lead when he latched onto Simone Perrotta's pass to produce a spectacular right-footed strike from just outside the box for his first goal in the competition.

      It didn't take long though for Sporting Lisbon to draw back level, thanks in large part to a huge foul up in the Roma defence when Philippe Mexes clashed with his goalkeeper, Doni.

      Liedson was the happy recipient of the collision when the ball rolled his way, the Brazil striker having the easiest of tap ins to an empty net.

      Sporting went in front for the first time after the break when Marat Izmailov floated over a cross which Liedson sent past Doni with a diving header to the far post.

      Sporting coach Paulo Bento had said before kick off that a win was "fundamental" to keep alive his side's hopes of making it into the last 16, but in the end he had to settle for a share of the spoils.

      The draw left Roma in second place in Group F on seven points behind leaders Manchester United who have qualified for the knockout round.

      Sporting lie third on four points.