Wins for Feyenoord & Juventus in Europa League

 

Bryan Cristante of AS Roma, Mats Wieffer of Feyenoord after the Quarterfinal First Leg - UEFA Europa League match between Feyenoord and AS Roma at the Rotterdam on April 13, 2023 in Stadion Feijenoord, Netherlands.

Mats Wieffer gave Feyenoord a slender advantage over Roma in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.

The midfielder met Oussama Idrissi’s left-wing cross, with his 20-yard effort going through a crowded area and bouncing twice on its way in.

Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini hit the post with a first-half penalty after a harsh handball call against Wieferr.

Elsewhere Juventus beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0, while Bayer Leverkusen drew 1-1 with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

Defender Federico Gatti scored the winner for Juventus as he reacted quickest to poke home from a yard out after Dusan Vlahovic’s header was blocked on the line.

Juventus have now kept four consecutive clean sheets in the Europa League and know another in Lisbon next Thursday would set up a semi-final tie against Manchester United or Sevilla, who drew 2-2.

However, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny left the pitch in tears after 44 minutes, complaining about chest palpitations.

Juventus have since confirmed the Poland international, 32, is fine following initial checks.

“I was worried, I was not able to breathe but now I feel good. The tests confirmed there’s no problem,” said Szczesny.

Saint-Gilloise, playing in Europe for the first time since 1964-65, took the lead in Germany through Victor Boniface’s curling effort.

However, with seven minutes remaining, Florian Wirtz equalised for Xabi Alonso’s side with a superb placed effort from 25 yards.

The winner of that tie will face either Feyenoord-Roma in the last four, with the Dutch league leaders holding on late on when Roger Ibanez’s header was nodded onto the underside of the bar by two defenders.

Jose Mourinho’s Roma lost Argentina forward Paulo Dybala to a thigh injury in the 26th minute, while England striker Tammy Abraham suffered a shoulder issue in the 58th minute.

The match was a repeat of the 2022 Europa Conference League final, which Roma won 1-0 thanks to a Nicolo Zaniolo goal.

The win extended Feyenoord’s unbeaten record in home European games to 14.


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