Victory goal and expulsion for the Portuguese, with the Giallorossi who keep in the final and bring home a precious success in view of the return
At the GelreDome in Arnhem go to Roma the first leg of the eighth of Conference League: 1-0 on the field of Speed. Dutch brand first half: Openda and Domgjoni commit Rui Patricio, with the former wasting a sensational opportunity after a mistake by the Giallorossi goalkeeper. However, within a whisker of the interval, it is Oliveira to give the guests the advantage with a nice turn. 12 ‘from the end the Portuguese is expelledbut Rome keeps the same.
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THE MATCH
Everything is still open for qualification to the quarter-finals of the Conference League, even if in seven days at the Olimpico Roma will have two out of three results available after the painful 1-0 obtained in the first leg at Vitesse. First chance for the hosts in the 7th minute: from the left, Wittek serves in the Openda area, who tries the paw but finds the excellent rejected by Rui Patricio on his right. The same number 7 of the hosts claims a penalty shortly after, but Ibañez absolutely does not commit a foul on him. After a goal canceled due to Grbic’s clear offside, Rui Patricio’s low exit on Domgjoni is very good, almost corner with his knee. Definitely easier to grasp Grbic’s conclusion from a distance. At 32 ‘there is Openda who drunk Kumbulla and almost finds the post to the right of the Giallorossi goalkeeper, but the opportunity devoured by the same striker after a ball given by Rui Patricio is sensational. On the opposite side, Houwen’s parry on Abraham’s right with his fingertips is extraordinary.
The joke for Vitesse is around the corner: in the only minute of recovery, in fact, the great shot under the intersection of Sergio Oliveira unlocks the result in favor of Mourinho’s men on the developments of a corner. The Portuguese midfielder himself stops very well in the 62nd minute Openda, who was trying to light up for the first time in the second half. Probably conditioned by an impeccable pitch and also by the wind, Roma redeems a difficult first half: Rasmussen makes and undoes exactly halfway through the second half, first giving the ball to Abraham, who overcomes Houwen and kicks with a sure shot, and then making up for it with a save on the line. Capitolini who remain in ten men in the 78th minute for the red for a double yellow card to Oliveira (at the halfway point of Wittek). In the final, Grbic puts his head in the mouth of Rui Patricio and Roma thus retains in numerical inferiority the very precious third consecutive 1-0 after those against Spezia and Atalanta.
REPORT CARDS
Grbic 6,5 – A thorn in the side for the Giallorossi defense, especially in the first half: he stabs Rui Patricio on the fly, but in a clear offside, and gives Mourinho the shivers on a couple of other occasions.
Openda 5,5 – He anticipates everyone and finds the detour on the fly on which Rui Patricio stretches out on his right, but the opportunity that throws to the winds at 0-0 with practically empty goal is unforgivable.
Oliveira 6,5 – First European goal with the Roma shirt: his left foot, after a series of hitting and repeating, is worth 0-1 at the end of a difficult first half for the guests. Too bad for the expulsion in the final.
Rui Patricio 6 – He is immediately summoned to a stunt on Openda’s close-range attempt, though he then effectively gives him a golden opportunity after a bad pass.
Maitland-Niles 5,5 – He hinders Grbic well, contrasting him decisively at the start of the match. The first half, however, is all about suffering on a defensive level and the former Arsenal is unable to withstand the impact well.
Vineyard 5.5 – His intervention on Dasa was hard and immediately cost him a yellow card. Always late on his opponents’ balls, Mourinho decides to remove him at half-time to enter Cristante on the field.
THE TABLE
SPEED-ROMA 0-1
Speed (3-5-2): hew 6.5; Oroz 6 (37′ st Buitink sv), Doekhi 6, Rasmussen 5.5; Dasa 6,5, Wittek 6,5, Tronstad 6, Bero 6, Domgjoni 6,5 (38′ Bazoer sv); Openda 5.5 (37′ st Frederiksen sv), Grbic 6.5. A disp.: Schubert, Hajek, Gboho, Yapi, Reiziger, Huisman, Manhoef, Hernandez, de Regt. All.: Latvian 6
Roma (3-5-2): Rui Patricio 6; Mancini 6.5, Kumbulla 6, Ibanez 6.5; Maitland-Niles 5.5 (1′ st Karsdorp 6), Mkhitaryan 6 (43′ st Smalling sv), Oliveira 6.5, Veretout 6 (1′ st El Shaarawy 6), Viña 5.5 (1′ st Cristante 6 ); Zaniolo 6 (21′ st Pellegrini 6), Abraham 6. Available: Pérez, Shomurodov, Darboe, Bove, Zalewski, Afena-Gyan, Fuzato. All.: Mourinho 6
Referee: Raczkowski (POL)
Marker: 46′ Oliveira (R)
Ammonites: Viña (R), Oroz (V), Mancini (R)
Expelled: at 33 ‘st Oliveira (R) for a double yellow card
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