In a thrilling Europa League play-off first leg, Roma managed to hold FC Porto to a 1-1 draw at the Estádio do Dragão. The match was a tale of two halves, with Roma initially in control but forced to defend desperately in the closing stages.
The Giallorossi took the lead just before halftime when Zeki Celik capitalized on a chaotic sequence in the Porto box, scoring from a difficult angle. The goal came after a period of sustained pressure from Roma, who had earlier lost Paulo Dybala to a knee injury.
Porto, under new coach Martin Anselmi, struggled to find their rhythm in the first half but came out reinvigorated after the break. Their persistence paid off when Francisco Moura’s strike took a fortunate deflection off Tommaso Baldanzi, wrong-footing Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar to level the score.
The match took a dramatic turn when Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante received his second yellow card, leaving the Italian side to finish the game with ten men. Porto seized the initiative, creating several chances to win the match, but Roma’s defense held firm under intense pressure.
Despite the setbacks, Roma will be satisfied with the away draw, especially considering the challenging circumstances in the second half. The result sets up an intriguing second leg at the Stadio Olimpico next Thursday, where Roma will hope to capitalize on home advantage to progress in the competition.
The match highlighted Roma’s resilience but also exposed their vulnerability when reduced to ten men. As they prepare for the return fixture, coach José Mourinho will need to address the team’s discipline and ability to maintain composure under pressure.
With the tie delicately poised, both teams will feel they have a chance to advance to the next round of the Europa League. Roma’s home support could prove crucial, but they will need to be wary of Porto’s attacking threat, which became increasingly evident as the first leg progressed.
Goals: Celik 45+4 (R), Francisco Moura 67 (P)
Porto (3-4-3): Diogo Costa; Otavio (75′ Namaso), Nehuen Perez, Tiago Djaló; Joao Mario, Eustaquio, Varela (63′ Fabio Vieira), Francisco Moura (86′ Zaidu); Borges, Samu Omorodion Aghehowa (86′ Gul), Rodrigo Mora (63′ Pepe)
Roma (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Ndicka; Saelemaekers (46′ El Shaarawy), Cristante, Koné (46′ Pisilli), Angelino; Pellegrini (68′ Soulé), Dybala (39′ Baldanzi); Dovbyk (75′ Paredes)
