Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 10:58 PM• Last update: 23:12

AS Roma failed to restore honor in the Conference League on Thursday evening. Got into the base with Rick Karsdorp i Giallorossi no further than a 2-2 draw against FK Bodö/Glimt, after being humiliated 6-1 by the Norwegians in the first leg. The visitors took the lead twice, but thanks to goals from Stephan El Shaarawy and Roger Ibañez, the Romans still managed to save a point. Bodö thus remains in the lead in Group C and is on eight points from four games; AS Roma follows on seven points.

José Mourinho and his team had to hunt for rehabilitation after the 6-1 earwash in Norway; compared to that game, only Rui Patrício, Ebrima Darboe and El Shaarawy appeared at the kick-off in the Stadio Olimpico. The changing of the guard had an initial effect. El Shaarawy (three times), Tammy Abraham (twice) and Jordan Veretout fired on Nikita Haikin’s goal, without any significant danger from Bodö. We had to wait for the opening goal of the home team, when the visitors struck out of nowhere. Elias Hagen was able to walk freely in midfield and delivered to Ola Solbakken. Without taking the ball, the Norwegian curled beautifully behind the hopeless Rui Patrício: 0-1.

The ninth Roma basic player from the first game, Darboe, also had to clear the field at half time. Like Henrikh Mkhitaryan, he was replaced; Gonzalo Villar and Carles Pérez respectively replaced them. In the 54th minute, El Shaarawy gave his trainer some air again. The attacker received the ball from Nicolò Zaniolo on the left side of the enemy penalty area, finished and curled nicely into the top right corner for the equalizer. However, the Norwegians continued to torment Roma. Erik Botheim, who had already scored two goals and three assists in the previous showdown, received a perfect pass from right back Alfons Sampsted and headed convincingly: 1-2.

Botheim had already crowned himself the most valuable player in the Conference League for the time being and could now add a goal. Roma couldn’t afford to lose again, if only for honour. In the 74th minute, Gianluca Mancini almost tied the score again, but the Italian hit the post. The home side had opportunities through Eldor Shmodurov and star El Shaarawy, before Ibañez equalized. After a corner, the ball ended up with substitute Borja Mayoral, who put the leather on the head of the Spanish defender: 2-2.