ROTTERDAM – Terrible revenge. Barely eleven months after the final in Tirana, the Feyenoord he takes away the satisfaction of slapping that one Roma who had raised the first one above his head Conference League of history. But as recent history has often shown, Roma are very good at hurting themselves. And to struggle to react to the blows taken.
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Rome, Dybala out due to injury
The material representation of Murphy’s law, according to which if something can go wrong it will. In 20 minutes, Rome loses first Dybala, shortly before dangerous on a free kick, who plants himself in the middle of the field asking for the field for a muscle pain that, on the bench, wets his eyes with angry tears. An adductor problem that will probably take him out of the game even for the return leg. Without El Shaarawy manages to make you forget the weight of this loss.
The penalty missed by Pellegrini
Then, in the twilight of the first half, when luck seemed to help her, the unimaginable happened: after a corner from Zalewski, the ball landed on Wieffer’s arm. Arm along the body, but for the referee Sanchez it’s a penalty. Without Dybala, however, it’s up to him Pellegrini. Who had missed a penalty in Empoli by hitting the crossbar (and two others in the past with Juventus and Braga). The post, this time, is worth the fourth mistake with Roma from the penalty spot: perhaps the heaviest, however. Because a game that could have gone downhill remains suspended and gives confidence to Feyenoord, up until then dangerous only with a counterattack from Szymanski.
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by our correspondent Matteo Pinci
Mrs. Wijnaldum, the daughter of Wieffer and Abraham
And indeed, on the emotional wave it takes less than 9 minutes to pass Feyenoord. Idrissi breaks through to the left and, with Roma entirely squashed in their own area, plays the ball back where Wieffer with a volley from outside the area he finds the corner behind Rui Patricio. The logical conclusion of the attitude of the two teams, even after Mourinho, perhaps knowing his captain, had removed Pellegrini at half-time giving space to Wijnaldum, ex Feyenoord and supporter of the team in Rotterdam, where he was born and raised. He is of little use. Because Abraham also gets hurt (shoulder), while Wijnaldum himself, with just a handful of minutes left to release De Kuip’s joy, tries to freeze the fans who belonged to him: right-footed shot from outside, ball whistling near the crossroads. But only close.
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The yellow of the ghost goal
The stadium breathes, and after all he had only had to hold his breath on one other occasion, when Irissi had saved on a header from Ibanez who deluded the Romanist bench into having found an equalizer: ball on the crossbar, then rejected from the outside when the ball was almost inside. And therefore, revenge was. Announced, wanted, accomplished. But far from definitive. Dybala probably won’t be there, so in a week the Olimpico will be the weapon to use to overturn a bad qualifying, yes, but not terribly bad after all.
Feyenoord-Roma 1-0 (0-0)
Feyenoord (4-3-3): Bijlow; Geertruida, Trauner, Hancko, Hartman; Kokcu, Wieffer, Szymanski; Jahanbakhsh (25′ st Danilo Pereira), Gimenez (38′ st Lopez), Idrissi (19′ st Paixao). (21
Marciano, 22 Wellenreuther, 2 Pedersen, 6 Rasmussen, 11 Dilrosun, 25 Tabouni, 28 Kasanwirjo, 30 Bullaude, 48 Milambo). All.: Slot.
Roma (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio: Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Zalewski, Cristante, Matic, Spinazzola (39′ st Celik); Dybala (25′ pt El Shaarawy), Pellegrini (1′ Wijnaldum); Abraham (13′ st Belotti). (63 Boers, 99 Svilar, 14 Llorente, 24 Kumbulla, 20 Camara, 52 Bove, 62 Volpato, 68 Tahirovic). All. Mourinho.
Referee: Sanchez (Spain)
Rarely: nel st 9′ Wieffer
Corners: 5-5
Recovery: 2′ e 4′.
Ammonite yourself: Wieffer and Szymanski for foul play.
Spectators: 42.960.