Roma breathed new life into their Europa League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv at the Stadio Olimpico. The win marks Roma’s first in the competition this season and provides a much-needed boost for Ivan Juric’s side.
The Giallorossi, who entered the match with just one point from their previous two Europa League fixtures and fresh off a disappointing home defeat to Inter in Serie A, dominated possession but struggled to break down a resilient Kyiv defense.
The breakthrough finally came when Tommaso Baldanzi was fouled in the box by Taras Mykhavko, resulting in a penalty. Artem Dovbyk stepped up and calmly converted, giving Roma the lead they desperately sought.
Both teams had their chances throughout the match. Baldanzi came close with a long-range effort, while Dynamo’s Eduardo Guerrero failed to keep his header on target. The visitors nearly equalized when Oleksandr Tymchyk’s angled drive grazed the post following a defensive error by Enzo Le Fee.
Roma had opportunities to extend their lead in the second half, with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Eldor Shomurodov both coming close. The home side’s best chance to seal the victory came in the 84th minute when a slick passing move set up Shomurodov, but the Uzbek striker inexplicably missed from close range.
The match remained tense until the final whistle, with Pellegrini making a crucial last-ditch interception to preserve Roma’s lead.
This victory moves Roma to four points in their Europa League group, revitalizing their hopes of progressing in the competition. For Dynamo Kyiv, the result leaves them still searching for their first points in the group stage.
Goals: Dovbyk pen 23 (R)
Roma (3-5-2): Svilar; Hermoso, Ndicka, Celik; Zalewski, Le Fée (dal 53′ Cristante), Pisilli (dal 68′ Pellegrini), Koné, Angelino; Baldanzi (dal 68′ Dybala), Dovbyk (dal 53′ Shomurodov)
Dynamo Kiev (3-5-2): Neshcheret; Mykhavko, Popov, Bilovar; Vivcharenko, Rubchynskyi (dal 63′ Brazhko), Andriyevski (dal 63′ Shaparenko), Mykhaylenko, Tymchyk; Guerrero (dal 68′ Vanat), Voloshyn (dal 63′ Kabaiev)
