Carew crushes Roma

Carew (left) celebrates his freak goal

Roma 0-1 Valencia

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A freak goal by Valencia striker John Carew left AS Roma's prospects of reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League in tatters.

The winner arrived in the 79th minute when Norwegian striker Carew spotted Roma keeper Ivan Pelizzoli out of position.

Carew curled a harmless-looking ball into the area which slipped in at the near post.

It was a fitting finale to a scrappy match, in which neither side had distinguished itself but which leaves Roma bottom of Group B with no points after three games.

Valencia join Arsenal and Ajax on five.

Champions League action in pictures

The home side - depleted by injuries to key players - had looked marginally the stronger in the opening stages.

But they were let down by poor finishing by striker Vincenzo Montella.

Carew then scored and the life drained out of the home side, who exited amid whistles and must now hope for a miracle if they are to finish in the top two.

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Roma: Pelizzoli, Cafu, Zebina , Aldair, Panucci, Dellas (Cufre 53), Lima , Tommasi, Guigou , Montella (Cassano 46), Delvecchio (Bombardini 53).
Subs Not Used: Antonioli, Sartor, Fuser, De Rossi.

Booked: Zebina , Guigou.

Valencia: Canizares, Pellegrino, Ayala, Carboni, Reveillere, Albelda, Baraja, Vicente (Gonzalez 62), Rufete (Mista 72), Carew, Aimar (Marchena 88).
Subs Not Used: Palop, Aurelio, Djukic, Sanchez.

Booked: Canizares, Gonzalez, Mista.

Attendance: 31,000

Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany).