Europa League, Roma-Betis 1-2: Dybala is not enough

To freeze the Olimpico, three minutes from the end, is Luiz Henrique, who remembers the former coach of the first American Rome only by phonetic assonance. It matters little, what really matters is that the 2-1 defeat against Betis complicates the plans of the Giallorossi, who are now third in the group and find themselves having to make an obligatory result next week in Spain. After Dybala’s initial advantage on a penalty and Rodriguez’s equalizer, it was Luiz Henrique’s imperious detachment that closed the game in favor of Betis. For Roma many things to review and the final mockery of the red to Zaniolo.

Equal and draw

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Mourinho relaunches Abraham from the start and leaves Pellegrini at rest, injured. In the middle, Cristante and Matic always juggle, with Zaniolo helping Dybala behind the English striker. Pellegrini, the Chilean, instead builds a game made of dribbling, one-two and quick triangles in depth. And in fact Betis plays the game for a long time, with prolonged ball possession also made up of phrasing in the strait. Canales orchestrates in the offensive direction, Fekir first s Luiz Henrique then bother a lot on the right. Mou, among other things, is forced to give up after just one minute to Celik, who injured his right knee due to a fortuitous blow from Mancini. The referee Jug then immediately grace Pezzella for a foul on Zaniolo launched alone on goal, then Betis comes out with Canales (shot saved) and Fekir (full post). But the Frenchman also had to surrender after 22 ‘of play due to a problem with his right flexor and then Roma tried to breathe, but managed to do so at times. In the sense that the ball of the game always remains in the hands of Betis, with the Giallorossi curling up and trying to hurt on the restarts, especially those of Zaniolo. and at 34 ‘the Giallorossi pass with a penalty from Dybala (hand ball by Aitor Ruibal) and then another game seems to be born, Only six minutes later it is Rodriguez who hits the right corner from 20 meters and re-establishes the balance on the pitch. Then two sensational Giallorossi occasions: first the crossbar from Zaniolo, then the miracle of Bravo on a crazy volley by Dybala from the edge.

Goal in the final

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The second half opens with Roma still a breath away from the advantage (Bravo’s save on Cristante’s sure shot), then the spaces begin to increase and the teams to fray. At the Giallorossi home the balance and compactness of the first half begin to fail, also because Cristante and Matic accuse fatigue and the three strikers struggle to help in the fallback phase. Pellegrini instead plays the Rodri card, to try to give more vivacity to his offensive phase, which with the passing of the minutes has lost its enamel and brilliance. Then it’s time for Belotti, who comes in for a disappointing Abraham once again. But on the pitch now we see more individual duels than game plots. Pezzella uses the hard way to stop Belotti, then three minutes from the end Luiz Henrique invents a crazy header for deadlift and timing, freezing the Olimpico. Before the end the red also arrives to Zaniolo, who tries to kick an opponent in the race. It ends like this, with Betis celebrating and Roma licking their wounds.