Roma did it. The Giallorossi took quite a scare on Thursday night but managed to hold Ajax to a 1-1 draw that earned them a spot into the Europa League Semi Finals. They fill now face a Manchester United side whose name may elicit some nostalgic yet dreadful memories for the Roma fans – who may remember a historical 1-7 setback at Old Trafford in an infamous Champions League Quarter Finals match-up.
After winning 1-2 at the Johann Cruijff Arena one week ago, Paulo Fonseca and his boys went down 0-1 for a Brian Brobbey goal tonight and their blood froze as Dusan Tadic doubled the Dutch’s side – only to see his winning effort disallowed by the VAR. After the scare, Edin Dzeko pulled the chestnuts out of the fire for the Giallorossi with a goal that set the score at 1-1.
Roma didn’t make any significant changed versus the lineup that had gained a one-goal advantage in the first the leg, with the exception of Amadou Diawara replacing Gonzalo Villar in midfield. Erik Ten Hag, on the other hand, switched the man between the sticks – deploying veteran Marteen Stekelenburg in place of youngster Kjell Scherpen.
The Team. ❌❌❌#UEL #romaja pic.twitter.com/0KxP2iwjnF
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) April 15, 2021
Stekelenburg played two seasons at Roma – not the best in his career, if truth be told – and was preferred to his much younger colleague after a blunder on his part facilitated the Giallorossi‘s win one week ago.
Ajax were expected to go above and beyond to cancel the deficit but Roma didn’t suffer any major threat in a dull first half, despite the white-and-reds accumulating a 73% ball possession. Conversely, it was the home side to be more dangerous, first with a Lorenzo Pellegrini conclusion, and then with a winning effort from Jordan Veretout that was ruled offside.
Pau Lopez tried to help the Lancieri with a terrible pass in the build-up that triggered Davy Klaassen’s conclusion but the Dutchman’s shot was stopped by Roger Ibanez. At half time, the feeling is that Roma can control the game and wrap their qualification successfully.
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Edin Dzeko dedicates his #UCL hat-trick to Riccardo Calafiori, after the youngster suffers a career-threatening injury in a #UYL game.??? ????
Calafiori provides the crucial assist for Dzeko as we reach the semi-finals of the #UEL!#ASRoma ?❤️ #RomaAjax pic.twitter.com/rjBqtWdqaG— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 15, 2021
However, right after the restart, the game took a bad turn for the Giallorossi – who risked squandering all the good things they had done over the two legs in the space of ten minutes. Ten Hag sent in Brian Brobbey for Antony and the 19-year-old repaid his coach’s trust with a beautiful winning lob to make the best out of a long-range Perr Schuurs pass.
Then, Dusan Tadic made it two for Ajax as he tapped the ball in after Pau Lopez had saved from Brobbey again. A shiver run down Paulo Fonseca’s back but, after consulting the VAR, referee Anthony Taylor disallowed the goal as he caught a Nicolàs Tagliafico foul on Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the build-up.
The Giallorossi seemed on the verge of collapsing but Tadic’s effort would end up being the last real chance for Ajax despite a chaotic assault in the final stages of the game – which became even more furious and confused after Dzeko’s equalizer.
On 72 minutes, the Bosnian superstar stretched his foot to deflect into Stekelenburg’s goal a majestic Riccardo Calafiori cross from the left-hand side. Kudos to Dzeko for scoring a fundamental goal, but also to 18-year-old Calafiori – who soon had to leave the pitch due to a muscle sprain.
Roma gritted their teeth and pushed back Ajax’s last efforts, thus reaching the Europa League Top Four showdown for the eighth time in their history. The prospect of a Semi Final against Manchester United may be fearsome, but it’s a morale boost that – after a season with multiple ups and down – the Giallorossi supporters are in real need of.
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— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) April 15, 2021
MATCH REPORT
April 15, 2021 – Europa League 2020-2021 Quarter Finals
ROMA-AJAX 1-1 (Roma advance 3-2 on aggregate)
SCORERS: 49′ Brobbey (A), 72′ Dzeko (R)
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ROMA (3-4-2-1): Pau Lopez; Mancini, Cristante, Ibanez; Karsdorp, Veretout, Diawara, Calafiori (80′ Villar); Mkhitaryan (86′ Pedro), Pellegrini; Dzeko (80′ Borja Mayoral (Mirante, Fuzato, Pedro Rodriguez, Santon, Carles Perez, Ciervo, Darboe, Morichelli) Coach: Fonseca |
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AJAX (4-3-3): Stekelenburg; Klaiber (22′ Schuurs, 82′ Idrissi), J. Timber, Martinez, Tagliafico; Alvarez (69′ Kudus), Klaassen, Gravenberch; Antony (46′ Brobbey), Tadic, Neres (82′ Traoré) (Scherpen, Kotarski, Ekkelenkamp, Traoré, Kasanwirjo, Q. Timber) Coach: Ten Hag |
REFEREE: Taylor (England)
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Ibanez, Veretout, Mancini, Dzeko, Cristante (R), Tagliafico (A); Extra Time: 1st Half 1′, 2nd Half 5′