Basel shocked struggling AS Roma 3-1 Tuesday to revive its hopes of advancing from the Champions League group stage as Roma captain Francesco Totti's scoreless run reached 11 games.
Alexander Frei put the Swiss champion ahead in the 12th minute at the Stadio Olimpico, and though Marco Borriello equalized for Roma in the 21st, Basel right back Samuel Inkoom of Ghana restored the visitor's lead with his first goal in Europe in the 44th.
Basel midfielder Cabral dribbled through Roma's defense to seal the win in injury time.
Basel lost its opening two matches to Cluj and Bayern Munich but now is tied with Roma with three points each in Group E.
''Roma clearly had lots of dangerous opportunities but I think we deserved to win,'' said Basel coach Thorsten Fink. ''Now second place is possible. The team certainly has enough quality.''
The 34-year-old Totti had several opportunities but couldn't find the net, going scoreless for the 11th consecutive match since the start of the season.
After one particular chance, a long-range effort that sailed high in the 50th, Totti raised both of his arms toward the night sky and then clasped his hands together as if to say, ''What do I have to do to score?''
Basel also beat Roma, 2-0, in its opening match of last season's Europa League, while in its last European outing, Basel put up tough resistance against Bayern Munich, although last season's runner-up won 2-1 through an 89th-minute strike from Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Roma's best chance of pulling back to 2-2 came when Rodrigo Taddei hit the post in the 58th and then David Pizarro blazed the rebound over the bar.
''This is a very big loss,'' Borriello said. ''I hope it doesn't ruin our hopes of advancing.''
Claudio Ranieri's side struggled defensively and lacked the finishing touch of Mirko Vucinic, who was out injured.
''In the first half we were indecisive - we didn't commit one foul or take one ball away,'' Ranieri said. ''I'm asking myself why and I'm asking the squad but they don't have an answer.''
Roma has won only three of 11 matches in all competitions this season, but Ranieri said he will not resign.
''I'm not a coach who gives up. I'm hoping the squad bounces back,'' he said. ''Football is strange. The winds can always change and we've just got to do better than we've done so far.''
Frei scored his second goal of the competition after teammate Marco Streller headed the ball into his path on the edge of the area.
Borriello did well to stay onside and collect a long pass behind the defense from Totti before lifting a shot over the goalkeeper to equalize.
Inkoom beat former Italy international Simone Perrotta to the ball and found the target with an angled shot.
Basel nearly made it 3-1 when Streller headed just wide in the 76th after outleaping Nicolas Burdisso.
Totti had one final chance in the 89th but his powerful free kick was blocked by Basel goalkeeper Franco Costanzo and Cabrol scored in added time.
Roma and Basel meet again in Switzerland in two weeks.
