Bayer Leverkusen rallied with three second-half goals to beat AS Roma 3-1 in a Champions League Group B match on Tuesday on a miserable night for the Italians who finished with nine men.
Roma began brightly when they took the lead through a Dimitar Berbatov own goal after 26 minutes.
But they ended with a third successive Champions League defeat after goals from Roque Junior (48), Jacek Krzynowek (59) and Franca (90+4) gave Leverkusen all three points and a share of the leading places with six points along with Dynamo Kiev and Real Madrid.
Roma have no points and virtually no chance of qualifying for the knockout stages and they will play the return against Leverkusen in two weeks without Christian Panucci, sent off after 61 minutes, and Daniele de Rossi, red carded three minutes from time.
"You can't play better than that," said a satisfied Leverkusen coach Klaus Augenthaler. "I just hope it wasn't a one-off and that we're going to tail off again after this. Everything seemed to work well. I hope it lasts."
Leverkusen opened strongly and were dominating until the own-goal, which shocked the team that has struggled in the Bundesliga -- down in ninth place after an especially poor effort in a 3-1 loss against Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Yet with jeers in their ears, Leverkusen were revitalised at the start of the second half, scoring twice quickly, and keeping the pressure on Roma throughout.
RED CARD
Down one man, Roma nevertheless nearly managed to equalise when Francesco Totti's free kick in the 85th minute hit the crossbar. But moments later they lost de Rossi and Franca made it 3-1 in stoppage time just ahead of the final whistle.
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"But that doesn't bother us," he added. "We can take the fight to anyone. That's the soccer business. There's a lot at stake."
Augenthaler said he was surprised at Roma's deteriorating self-discipline in the second half with the two red cards, and added he saw for himself why former Leverkusen executive Rudi Voeller quit as Roma coach after one month.
"I can understand why Rudi Voeller packed his bags after just 26 days there," said Augenthaler, who added he had talked to Voeller about Roma's strengths and weaknesses before the match.
