Europa League: AS Roma earn advantage over Leverkusen as Sevilla hold Juventus at home
AS Roma kept up their hopes of more European glory with a narrow 1-0 UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg win at home to Leverkusen
Roma, who had failed to win the first leg of a UEFA competition semi-final in their previous six such ties, started this latest opening last-four fixture on the back foot. José Mourinho and his players warned of the counterattacking threat posed by Leverkusen ahead of this contest, and it took all of 42 seconds for the Serie A side’s caution to be warranted.
From a throw-in deep inside their own half, Die Werkself produced a sweeping passing move to advance to the edge of the hosts’ penalty area. Piero Hincapie got the better of Zeki Çelik on the flank before putting in a low centre for the advancing Robert Andrich, whose crisp, first-time effort was held well by Rui Patrício.
Xabi Alonso, a former player under Mourinho at Real Madrid, was clearly intent on getting one over on his former coach early on in proceedings. Just seven minutes in, Florian Wirtz wriggled past three defenders on the edge of the area before his clever flick found Adam Hložek. The Czech attacker repaid the favour to give Wirtz a clear sight of goal, but he could only side-foot wide.
Roma slowly regrouped and almost snatched the lead themselves. Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini whipped in a sumptuous free-kick from out near the left flank, picking out the run of Roger Ibañez whose powerful header looked destined for the far corner, but Lukas Hradecky pushed it wide with a fine one-handed stop.
The hosts continued their control of proceedings after the interval and got the breakthrough from an unlikely source just after the hour. Twenty-year-old Edoardo Bove linked up with Tammy Abraham, who tested Hradecky with a fierce shot on the turn. The Finnish international could only push the ball back into the centre of the box, with Bove guiding a left-footed finish out of the goalkeeper’s reach.
Midway through the second half, Andrea Belotti stung Hradecky’s palms with a low drive, but Bove was unable to capitalise on the rebound on this occasion.
Leverkusen went in search of an equaliser and almost capitalised on a mix-up in the home defence with three minutes left. Rui Patrício and Ibañez went up for the same ball, meaning it squirmed out of the keeper’s hands and fell kindly for Jeremie Frimpong. His goalbound effort was stopped on the line by the well-placed Bryan Cristante, and Roma held on to their narrow advantage.
Federico Gatti headed the equaliser seven minutes into added time to preserve Juventus’ unbeaten home record in the Europa League after Youssef En-Nesyri had put Sevilla ahead in the first leg of their semi-final clash.
The hosts made a menacing start and had the best early opportunity, Dušan Vlahović lifting a close-range shot over the crossbar after Filip Kostić’s cross had found the striker in space.
Six-time champions Sevilla’s success in the competition has been built on burying chances of that quality, and soon Lucas Ocampos – already a threat, but forced off with injury later in the first half – collected a crossfield pass from Bryan Gil, raced forward and set up the lurking Youssef En-Nesyri to roll in the opener.
Sevilla threatened to score more after going ahead, prompting Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri to make two changes at the break. It was a pair of later substitutes, though, who finally rescued his side from a first ever UEFA Europa League home defeat.
After a second half short on cutting edge, Paul Pogba’s expert header allowed Federico Gatti to nod the equaliser seven minutes into added time, to Juve’s immense relief and leaving the teams level ahead of next Thursday’s second leg in Spain
