Roma coach Jose Mourinho runs under pouring rain during a Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Roma, in Verona's Bentegodi Stadium, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. AP
Jose Mourinho had his first defeat as Roma coach when his side surprisingly lost 3-2 at Hellas Verona in Serie A on Sunday.
Lorenzo Pellegrini gave Roma the lead in rainy Verona but the hosts turned the match around in the second half with three goals in 14 minutes.
It was the first points of the season for Verona, which replaced Eusebio Di Francesco with Igor Tudor as coach on Tuesday after losing three straight.
AC Milan can move above Roma and to the top of the Italian league with a victory at Juventus later Sunday. That would see the Rossoneri maintain their perfect start to the Serie A season. Juventus has just one point from three matches and is desperate for a first league victory in Massimiliano Allegri's return as coach.
Mourinho had won his three league games in charge of Roma as well as three matches in the European Conference League.
And Roma looked to be heading to another victory after Pellegrini scored the opener in the 36th minute with a stunning backheel flick on the volley after a cross had been deflected into his path.
It was Pellegrini's fifth goal in four matches.
However, Antonin Barak leveled four minutes after the break and Gianluca Caprari put the hosts ahead five minutes later.
Verona midfielder Ivan Ilic turned the ball into his own net to gift Roma the equalizer but Davide Faraoni restored the home side's lead in the 63rd with a stunning effort from the edge of the area that went in off the underside of the crossbar.
Coaching change
Cagliari also changed its coach midweek as Walter Mazzarri replaced Leonardo Semplici and he started his time on the Sardinian team's bench with a 2-2 draw at Lazio.
Cagliari was on course to win the match but Danilo Cataldi leveled seven minutes from time. Cagliari defender Gabriele Zappa was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card.
Newly promoted Venezia lost 2-1 to Spezia after a stoppage-time goal.
Sampdoria won 3-0 at Empoli.
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