AS Roma is a quarter-finalist in the Europa League. Coach Daniele De Rossi's team lost 1-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion, but that was no problem at all after the 4-0 win in Rome. i Giallorossi. The match winner was Danny Welbeck, who ensured the English victory with a beautiful curl in the cross.
On the Brighton side, two Dutchmen started in the starting line-up: Bart Verbruggen and Jean Paul van Hecke. Joël Veltman started on the bench. At Roma, Rick Karsdorp started on the bench, as did star player Paulo Dybala. Romelu Lukaku was not present at all.
Roma soon got the chance to finally end the diptych. Sardar Azmoun got some space on the right and narrowly missed Verbruggen's goal with his left. The Iranian scored a particularly nice goal moments later, by passing Verbruggen with a bicycle kick. However, the referee ruled that there was dangerous play, to the incomprehension of Roma.
Moments later, Brighton still had some hope of a miraculous comeback. Welbeck received the ball on the edge of the box and curled it wonderfully into the far corner: 1-0. Brighton needed at least three more goals to force extra time. However, Roma played well and so a comeback was very far away for Roberto De Zerbi's team.
Roma remained the dominant party even after the break and it was actually a matter of waiting for the equalizer. Leonardo Spinazzola used a phenomenal dribble as he once did against the Dutch national team, but was not rewarded for it. After playing a few players, the Italian shot against the outside of the post.
On the other hand, Mile Svilar was Roma's hero. The Belgian-Serbian goalkeeper made an excellent save on Simon Adingra's close-range header. Brighton gave it their all once again and it was Van Hecke who thought he could make it 2-0, but his header from a corner flew over Svilar's goal.
Ansu Fati also came close to making it 2-0 several times, but the FC Barcelona youth product failed to further fuel the hope of a spectacular comeback. First of all, he shot just wide, just before the end he came across Svilar.
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