Good evening, my name is Oliver and I am going to take you through the first leg of Europa League round of 16 match between Feyenoord Rotterdam and AS Roma. Current Dutch champions are playing AS Roma third time in the space of a year. Feyenoord’s coach Arne Slot has made only one change from their last game against Sparta Rotterdam when Geertruida is not available due to illness and Nieuwkoop will occupy his right-back spot tonight. Former AS Roma player and legend of the club, Daniele De Rossi has made couple of changes before this game when Angelino, Huijsen, Cristante and El Shaarawy lost their places ahead of Spinazzola, Llorente, Bove, and Zalewski. Both fans and experts expect a lot of good football from this game, especially from Slot’s very attacking team. They also anticipate precise defense from, former Europa Conference League winners, AS Roma.
Teams are walking towards centre of the pitch with beautiful tifo from Feyenoord’s fans at sold out De Kuip.
1′ Peep! Radu Marian Petrescu blows the whistle as today’s referee. We are underway…
3′ As expected, home side dominates the possession with no significant opportunity so far. Solid defending from the visitors. Ayase Ueda wants a free kick from just outside the box but referee stays calm.
6′ Yankuba Minteh enlivens the crowd by his aggresive pressing but only fouls Roma’s goalkeeper Mile Svilar.
8′ First corner of the game goes to AS Roma, unfortunately for them, Paulo Dybala swings cross very low and easy for Feyenoord defenders,
10′ Dybala plays wonderful pass to Roma’s captain Lorenzo Pellegrini who is not able to dribble pass
Feyenoord’s keeper Timon Wellenreuther but Romelu Lukaku gets the ball only for DΓ‘vid Hancko to head it away. Great block from the Slovakian.
13′ Svilar claims Feyenoord’s first corner very easily. No danger from very active first side.
14′ Lukaku is not able to get past Thomas Beelen who fauls Belgian international and is the first player to get booked tonight.
16′ Pellegrini is bending the ball from the free kick only to be deflected and and headed wide away. No danger from Roma’s corner afterwards.
16′ First shot on the target for Italians. Lukaku’s header is no trouble for Wellenreuther who catches it comfortably.
18′ Great recovery run from Zalewski who deflects the cross into a corner which does not represent any danger from Feyenoord.
21′ Really promising chance for Igor Paixao, arguably biggest of the game so far, but he shots just wide away from Svilar’s goal.
Embed from Getty Images23′ Paixao again. Unfortunately now he makes the crowd active because of his foul on Karsdrop.
25′ After first 25 minutes it looks like it is going to be very tactial game with margins to decide a winner. Hopefully we can see some goals in the first half.
27′ Paixao finds the target this time but he is precisely marked by Karsdrop. Another easy save for Svilar
30′ Quick one two between Dybala and Pellegrini who finds Lukaku who appears to be offside.
33′ Arguably biggest Feyenoord’s threat comes from Minteh who tries to shot with his left foot but only hits Roma’s defender.
35′ Feyenoord players are arguing with the fourth official who appears to tell Petrescu about Minteh’s foul and he books him straight away. Lot of frustration from home players.
38′ Home crowd is starting to boo Svilar who clearly takes a lot of time before he plays goal kicks.
40′ Golden opportunity for World champion Leandro Paredes who has plenty of time and takes almost perfect shot from around 25 metres but only for Wellenreuther to make a great save and tipps it on a crossbar. Beautiful footballing moment.
44′ Lukaku’s strength happens to be a big advantage for Roma and leads to Dybala’s shot from really wide angle. It is another corner and Lukaku’s first shot on target but another comfortable save from Wellenreuther.
45+1′ GOAL!!! First Europa League goal for Paixao. Great inswinging cross from Hartmann who finds his Brazillian teammate who heads the ball behind Svilar. Spinazolla leaves his man free and Paixao has a lot of time to think about his finish. Very nice team goal from current Eredivisie champions.
HALF TIME: Everyone thought it is going to be a goalless draw but Paixao’s wonderful header changes the scoreline. Feyenoord looks more active and definitely deserves the goal especially thanks to immense support from the stands. De Rossi needs to speak very loudly in the dressing room as his team has not produced a lot in the first half. End of the first half leaves us very excited what is coming in the next 45 minutes from De Kuip stadium. Hopefully more goals from both side…
Embed from Getty Images46′ And we are underway for another exciting 45 minutes from Rotterdam.
47′ Straight after the beginning of the second half, good free kick opportunity for Feyenoord. There is quite a lot of players around the ball but it is a signal and Ueda just hits one of the Roma defender.
Sporting scores another goal and it looks like to be very interesting evening in Bern. At least for neutrals though…
53′ Roma comes very lively into the second half and dominates possession of the ball so far. Looks like teams swap their playing styles between each other…
57′ Roma players occupy whole of Feyenoord’s half and it may resemeble handball the way they are passing between each other.
62′ Minteh with another good oppurtunity but he fails to hit the target because of wall of Roma defenders who deflect his shot.
67′ GOAL!!! Finally some action at De Kuip. Romelu Lukaku breaks the deadlock and equalises the game. Bullet header from Belgium international who makes perfect advantage of his strong body.
78′ Huge whistles from the crowd as Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini needs medical check from team doctors after tough challenge from one of Feyenoord’s players. Atmosphere is very hostile for Roma players tonight…
81′ Zeki Celik comes on for Rick Karsdrop. Another Roma change…
82′ Very odd situation to say at least. Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar with a cramp. I have never seen that kind of situation…
86′ Very zesty tackle from Bove on OndΕej Lingr results in a yellow for Italian. It was his last action as well because he leaves the pitch for Cristante. Same applies for Baldanzi swapping Dybala.
88′ Another chance for Feyenoord as Svilar saves a Gimenez’s great strike. Feyenoord looks very active right now…
90′ The fourth official shows seven minutes of added time.
90+1′ Svilar again. Great save from Serbian keeper.
90+2′ Lukaku fills in defence and helps to get the ball away after not very good Ivanusec’s free kick.
90+7′ We are slowly approaching into the final minute of the game with Celik’s misplaced pass.
FULL TIME: Feyenoord will definitely go home dissatisfied. Despite winning at the half time, they could not maintain the one goal advantage as Lukaku equalised for Roma from the same spot as Feyenoord scored. De Rossi’s side will go into the second leg as favourites since they can use the advantage of Stadio Olympico. Great performances from both sides today leaves everything open ahead of the second leg in Italy.
