
Roma were knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Spezia after a chaotic extra-time period that included one more substitution than they were allowed and two red cards.
The hosts had fought back from 2-0 down to force the extra half an hour in the last-16 tie - but they were reduced to nine men within two minutes of the restart as their evening unravelled.
First, Gianluca Mancini was sent off after picking up a second booking, then the Giallorossi had goalkeeper Pau Lopez dismissed after he made a mess of a clearance and took out a Spezia forward in the process.
Boss Paulo Fonseca quickly made a double change - Roger Ibanez replacing Pedro and midfielder Bryan Cristante being sacrificed to allow keeper Daniel Fuzato to come on.
Problem was, that took Roma's substitutions up to six when only five are permitted.
In the end, the error mattered little. Roma only held on until the 107th minute before Daniele Verde made it 3-2, and then Riccardo Saponara added a fourth for Spezia.
When asked about the extra substitute, an error that would have resulted in the match being forfeited had they won, Fonseca said: "If there is an issue, we have time to discuss that internally."
The Portuguese said it became "much harder" after the two red cards and that the Serie A side, who were beaten 3-0 by city rivals Lazio five days earlier, are in "a tough moment".
Earlier this season, Roma were penalised with a 3-0 defeat following an administrative error in the make-up of their matchday is squad for September's 0-0 league draw against Hellas Verona.
Line-ups
Roma
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 13LópezBooked at 92mins
- 23ManciniBooked at 91mins
- 4CristanteSubstituted forCerantola Fuzatoat 95'minutes
- 24Kumbulla
- 33da Silva Peres
- 7PellegriniBooked at 111mins
- 14VillarSubstituted forVeretoutat 69'minutes
- 37SpinazzolaSubstituted forKarsdorpat 69'minutes
- 11PedroSubstituted forIbañez da Silvaat 95'minutes
- 77MkhitaryanSubstituted forPérezat 85'minutes
- 21MayoralSubstituted forDzekoat 90'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Karsdorp
- 3Ibañez da Silva
- 5Nunes Jesus
- 6Smalling
- 9Dzeko
- 12Farelli
- 17Veretout
- 18Santon
- 20Fazio
- 31Pérez
- 64Podgoreanu
- 87Cerantola Fuzato
Spezia
Formation 4-3-3
- 12Krapikas
- 69Vignali
- 34IsmajliBooked at 24mins
- 28Erlic
- 3RamosSubstituted forDell'Orcoat 68'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 27DeiolaSubstituted forAcamporaat 80'minutes
- 88de Souza SenaSubstituted forRicciat 68'minutes
- 25Maggiore
- 80AgudeloBooked at 13minsSubstituted forVerdeat 59'minutes
- 9GalabinovSubstituted forPiccoliat 68'minutes
- 23Saponara
Substitutes
- 1Zoet
- 4Acampora
- 8Ricci
- 10Agoume
- 11Gyasi
- 17Farias
- 19Terzi
- 22Chabot
- 31Verde
- 39Dell'Orco
- 77Bittencourt Pinheiro
- 91Piccoli
- Referee:
- Davide Ghersini
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away8
- Corners
- Home7
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home18
- Away23

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