AS Roma 4-1 Feyenoord: Feyenoord was eliminated on Thursday evening in the quarterfinals of the Europa League. The return match against AS Roma lasted just a few minutes too long for the team from Rotterdam, who were close to a positive result in regular playing time. In extra time, however, the curtain fell for Feyenoord.
AS Roma hands out a knockout to battle-weary Feyenoord in extra time
A big storm was predicted in Rome and that prediction came true. Roma had to come to De Kuip after the earlier 1-0 defeat and so did the home club. Within six minutes the club had created two chances, but Lorenzo Pellegrini (save Justin Bijlow) and Bryan Cristante (just wide) failed to score. Nevertheless, Feyenoord also reported for Roma’s goal and Sebastian Szymanski had the greatest chance in the entire first half after thirteen minutes of play. After a strong action from Alireza Jahanbakhsh, the Pole tapped in from close range, but the ball ended up on goalkeeper Rui Patrício’s body.
The storm in the opening phase resulted in several casualties. For example, basic customer Georginio Wijnaldum had to leave the field after twenty minutes with a muscle injury, before that it went wrong for Mats Wieffer. The midfielder was not injured, but was booked. A precious card, because Wieffer was on edge. He will carry that suspension into next season.
Sebastian Szymanski had the biggest chance in the first half
It remained an exciting battle in Stadio Olimpico, where Feyenoord gained more and more control over the match. Ten minutes before the break, a penalty kick was claimed after hands from Diego Llorente, but unlike last week, the ball did not hit the spot. The fact that Feyenoord had to remain on guard was evident from the first fifteen seconds of the second half. Pellegrini appeared at the near post, but via Bijlow and the post the ball did not go in.
The warning came in at Feyenoord, but the 1-0 fell in the sixtieth minute. Leonardo Spinazzola got the ball after a messy situation and with some luck shot in low. Fifteen minutes before the end it even seemed to get worse for Feyenoord, but Cristante’s goal was rejected. Before his goal, Tammy Abraham, who had just come on, won an aerial duel against Gernot Trauner, but the striker pushed the Austrian in the back.
Igor Paixão thanks the higher powers after his goal in Rome
The game was heading for extra time, but not before two more goals were scored in regular playing time. The defense of Roma counted ten minutes before time outside Igor Paixão. The Brazilian was within the lines for less than fifteen minutes and headed in the 1-1. Paixão broke away from the Roman air force and promoted a cross from Szymanski to that all-important goal.
It was not enough for a place in the semi-finals. Roma threw out a considerable final offensive and that resulted in the 2-1 just before time. Paulo Dybala spun away from Trauner and finished it with a fall. In this way he dragged out extra time for Roma, although Abraham had a great chance in extra time. Bijlow, however, distinguished himself with a save on his shot.
Extra time drama
The first big chance was for Feyenoord in extra time. The hitherto quite invisible Santiago Giménez was given room to shoot, but his hard effort went over high. It brought some new impetus to Feyenoord, which had to go after Roma in the last minutes of regular playing time. However, the home team also had a great chance. Substitute Roger Ibanez headed in powerfully after a corner, but hit the post.
It turned out to be a harbinger, because a few minutes after that moment the 3-1 fell. After a quick attack, Abraham passed low to Stephan El Shaarawy, who tapped the ball behind Bijlow while falling. In the second half of extra time, Feyenoord created little more itself and a goal from Pellegrini from the rebound decided it all. The linesman seemed to help Feyenoord by rejecting the 4-1 for offside, but the VAR canceled that decision. To make it all even more painful, Giménez received a red card after a VAR procedure. For his outstretched leg on the knee of opponent Gianluca Mancini.
For the second season in a row, Roma dealt a painful blow to Feyenoord, which can fully focus on the last games in the Eredivisie. With an eight-point lead and five matches to go, the national title seems to be able to quickly put a plaster on the European wound of the team from Rotterdam.
