Totti scores 250th in losing cause
England goalkeeper Joe Hart answered his critics with a standout performance as Torino dampened Francesco Totti's upcoming birthday celebrations with a 3-1 win over Roma on Sunday.
Roma travelled to Turin looking to close a five-point gap to leaders Juventus, but Andrea Belotti's eighth-minute opener had Luciano Spalletti's men under pressure from the off.
The Giallorossi heads dropped further when Iago Falque beat the Polish international from the spot on 53 minutes after a foul on Belotti by former Torino defender Bruno Peres.
Roma were given brief hope of a fightback when Totti, who will celebrate his 40th birthday on Tuesday, came off the bench to beat Hart from the penalty spot two minutes later.
But any hopes of a late fightback were quashed when Falque capitalised on a defensive blunder to fire a deflected shot over Szczesny halfway through the second period.
Two years ago Totti, three days after his 38th birthday, became the oldest player to score in the Champions League when he beat Hart to net a 23rd minute leveller in a 1-1 draw at Manchester City.
It was the Roma icon's 300th career goal and his first on English soil.
But the plaudits this time went to England keeper Hart. The 29-year-old was in superb form as Torino claimed only their second win of the season.
Hart was forced out early to steal the ball in midair from Edin Dzeko as the Bosnian ran down on goal, and then got down low to save with one hand from the striker's snap shot from close range.
Dzeko should have done better with Mohamed Salah's delivery near the end of the opening half but Hart tipped the striker's header over with one hand.
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