In the Coppa Italia round of 16 on January 13, 2026, Torino stunned Roma with a 3–2 victory at the Stadio Olimpico in an end-to-end tie.
The Stadio Olimpico was a cauldron of expectation on the evening of this Wednesday, when Roma and Torino locked horns in their Coppa Italia Round of 16 tie. For a side with ambitions of silverware and a passionate home support urging them on, the evening promised a chance to vindicate recent improvements. Instead, it delivered drama, raw emotion and an upset that will ripple through both camps.
From the first whistle, Gasperini’s men sought to impose their typically proactive structure — controlling possession and probing with a blend of width and central combinations. Torino, disciplined and pragmatic, soaked up early pressure before striking with the kind of incisive ruthlessness that has marked their cup run so far. What unfolded was not just a knockout tie, but a narrative of momentum swings, tactical jostling and individual imprints that reshaped both teams’ cup aspirations.
Match Recap
Roma’s dominance in territory and ball control told one story; the scoreboard, ultimately, told another. The capital club approached the tie with a clear intent to control the game through patient build-up, but Torino’s resolute defensive structure and clinical ruthlessness in transition proved decisive.
Torino’s forward Ché Adams was instinctive and lethal, converting twice to put the visitors ahead before halftime and early in the second. Roma responded with intent — and briefly with goals — but couldn’t sustain the pressure when it mattered most. A last-gasp strike from Emirhan İlkhan sealed an astonishing 3–2 victory for Torino, sending them through to the quarter-finals and dumping Roma out of the competition at the first hurdle.
Key Moments and Tactical Shifts
The contest truly hinged on three pivotal sequences:
- Adams’ Early Impact: The game’s first defining moment came when Adams capitalized on Torino’s swift transition play to slot home, capitalizing on a momentary lapse in Roma’s midfield screening. This goal shifted the tactical balance, forcing Roma to adjust their shape and press higher.
- Rapid Twists After the Break: Minutes after the interval, Roma thought they had regained a foothold through Mario Hermoso’s goal — but almost instantly, Adams struck again for Torino, reasserting his side’s advantage and punishing Roma’s vulnerability to direct counterplay.
- The Winning Touch: Into the final moments, with Roma pushing numbers forward and risk mounting at the back, İlkhan’s composed finish following a rebound summed up a night where opportunism trumped territorial supremacy.
Tactically, Torino demonstrated the virtues of compact midfield lines and verticality. Their five-man midfield oscillated between defence and attack with disciplined timing, ensuring that turnovers immediately became thrusts on goal — a formula that belied their underdog tag and neutralised Roma’s normally potent possession play.
Roma, for their part, struggled to convert control into clear chances. Despite dominating ball retention for long stretches, their final third combinations lacked the incisiveness needed to unpick Torino’s disciplined blocks. In an echo of recent league frustrations, creative continuity gave way to predictable crossing and speculative balls into congested areas, allowing Torino’s centre-backs to assert themselves.
Standout Performances
While cup football often elevates unlikely protagonists, this midweek tie was definitional for a few individuals:
- Ché Adams (Torino): A predator in the box, Adams’ double was clinical — each strike illustrating sharp anticipation and composure that cut straight through Roma’s defensive intentions.
- Emirhan İlkhan (Torino): His late winner was more than just fortune; it was the product of disciplined positioning and awareness in a chaotic finale.
- Roma’s Hermoso: Briefly a catalyst for the comeback, Hermoso’s contribution was a reminder of his aerial threat and set-piece acumen, even if the wider team couldn’t build sustained pressure around it.
What the Result Means
For Torino, this result is a testament to tactical discipline and belief. Progressing to face Inter in the quarter-finals, they carry the confidence to benchmark themselves against Italy’s elite in knockout football. For a club often cast in mid-table narratives, this cup run could redefine their seasonal identity.
Conversely, Roma’s elimination exposes lingering inefficiencies in breaking down low blocks and converting possession into tangible attacking opportunities. In a season where domestic cups represent a viable path to glory — and a chance to bolster morale — this defeat will sting.
Even amid the pain of defeat, there remains editorial clarity: Rome’s night at the Olimpico was not defined by one team’s shortcomings alone, but by the strategic audacity and opportunism of an away side that played the cup tie with intent, precision and reward commensurate to its belief.