Feyenoord beat AS Roma in Rotterdam in the first leg of Europa League tie
Feyenoord was victorious in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League tie against AS Roma on Thursday. Mats Wieffer scored the solitary goal of the match.
Justin Bijlow returned to the Feyenoord side for the first time in two months. The Goalkeeper was out with a wrist injury at that time. Alireza Jahanbaksch also returned to the side. The Iranian winger went off injured in the warming up before the match against RKC Waalwijk last Sunday. Ex-Feyenoord midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum started on the bench for the opponents. The fixture was a repeat of last season’s UEFA Conference League final, which Roma won 1-0.
The first half was as you would expect from a Jose Mourinho side. Roma sat back with Feyenoord, only able to create a few opportunities. Polish midfielder Sebastian Szymanski had two attempts, one being blocked and the other dragging wide even though he had Oussama Idrissi free on the wing.
AS Roma was given a penalty right before halftime. A corner hit Mats Wieffer on the hand, with referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez pointing to the spot instantly. It seemed a harsh decision as Wieffer had his hands next to his body and could not do much about it hitting his hand. Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini took the spot kick but hit the post as De Kuip cheered joyfully.
Wijnaldum came on for Roma at halftime but saw his side go a goal down after 53 minutes. Idrissi dribbled past Nicola Zalewski with consummate ease before chipping the ball to the edge of the area where Wieffer was waiting. The 23-year-old volleyed the ball towards the ground, surprising Rui Patricio in the Roma goal as the ball went past him into the net.
Roma seemed the fitter of the two sides as they pushed for an equalizer, with Feyenoord mainly sitting back for the last half an hour. Idrissi was vital for his side again as he just about reacted quickly enough to head Roger Ibanez’s header off the line.
Mourinho’s side kept the pressure on, but without forwards Paolo Dybala and Tammy Abraham, who had both gone off injured earlier in the match, they struggled to create meaningful chances.
The second leg will be played in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome next week.
