AS Roma clinched a spot in the Europa League semifinals after defeating Feyenoord Rotterdam 4-1 in extra time, securing a 4-2 aggregate win. The hosts were able to break the deadlock in the 101st minute, with Stephan El Shaarawy converting a cross from Tammy Abraham. Just seven minutes later, Lorenzo Pellegrini sealed the win for Roma by slotting in a rebound from Abraham’s shot.
The victory was hard-fought, with both teams battling fiercely throughout the game, but Roma ultimately emerged victorious, earning a chance to compete for a place in the final.
In their quest for a spot in the Europa League semifinals, Roma faced off against Feyenoord in a highly anticipated quarterfinal match. The first leg saw Feyenoord emerge victorious with a 1-0 scoreline, putting the pressure on Roma to come out strong in the second leg.
Roma started the match on the front foot, immediately pushing for the opening goal. In the first 10 minutes of the game, they missed two great opportunities to take the lead. However, Feyenoord slowly grew into the game, with Roma’s goalkeeper Rui Patricio called into action to make a crucial save to deny Sebastian Szymanski from close range.
Roma continued to pile on the pressure after the break, with Pellegrini missing a great chance to put the home side ahead when his shot hit the post. The hour mark brought some relief for the Stadio Olimpico faithful as Leonardo Spinazzola took advantage of a deflection in the box to poke the ball into the bottom corner, much to the delight of the home fans.
Jose Mourinho opted to start with key players Paulo Dybala and Abraham on the bench, after they suffered injuries early in the first leg. However, he brought them on midway through the second half in search of a decisive goal. In the 80th minute, Feyenoord’s Brazilian striker Igor Paixao headed in an equaliser for the visitors, leaving Roma in a precarious position.
However, Dybala came to Roma’s rescue one minute before stoppage time, scoring with a shot from a difficult angle to level the aggregate score and put Roma in the semifinals. The final moments of the game saw Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez receive a straight red card for a knee-high tackle on Gianluca Mancini.
In the semifinals, Roma will face Bayer Leverkusen, who beat Union Saint-Gilloise 5-2 on aggregate. The two legs of the semifinals will take place on May 11 and 18, with Roma hoping to secure a spot in the Europa League final. Overall, it was a thrilling match between two strong sides, with Roma ultimately emerging as the victors.
