Lorenzo Pellegrini’s equalizer canceled out Federico Bernardeschi’s impressive curler, as Bologna and Roma battled to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Europa League Round of 16 clash. Both teams also struck the woodwork, leaving the tie finely balanced for the decisive second leg.
This all-Italian derby guarantees that only one Serie A representative will advance to the quarter-finals. Roma faced the match without the suspended Gianluca Mancini and a host of injured players including Manu Koné, Paulo Dybala, Matias Soulé, Artem Dovbyk, and Evan Ferguson, with Mario Hermoso not yet fully fit. Bologna, having eliminated SK Brann in the play-offs, entered the game after a surprising 2-1 home defeat to Verona, following five consecutive wins. Torbjorn Heggem and Charalampos Lykogiannis were nursing minor injuries.
Early in the match, Federico Bernardeschi narrowly missed connecting with a Jonathan Rowe through ball. Juan Miranda received a yellow card for a foul on Bryan Zaragoza, ruling him out of the second leg. Zaragoza then scuffed a promising angled shot wide. Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar was forced into a superb fingertip save to deny Bernardeschi’s left-foot curler from dipping under the bar.
Just before half-time, both Nicolò Casale and Tommaso Pobega failed to direct their headers on target from a corner. After the break, Robinio Vaz replaced Zaragoza, and almost immediately, Joao Mario was booked for preventing a counter-attack. It was Bologna who eventually broke the deadlock.
Jonathan Rowe skillfully controlled a loose ball, shrugged off two tackles in midfield, and spread it wide to Bernardeschi on the right. The Italian veteran then swept a first-time left-footed shot from 13 yards into the far top corner for his fourth Europa League goal of the season.
Soon after, Malen, receiving a pass from Devyne Rensch, hit the outside of the near post from a tight angle. Bernardeschi then set up Pobega, who was denied by a decisive charge off the line from Svilar. Mario Hermoso also made his return after a five-game injury absence.
Roma found their equalizer following a mistake by Joao Mario, who lost possession of a loose ball to Bryan Cristante. Malen then powerfully advanced, shrugging off Jhon Lucumi and Remo Freuler before laying it across for Lorenzo Pellegrini to tap into an open net from seven yards.
Roma almost completed a turnaround when Malen weaved through the defense, but his shot took a double deflection off Casale and Lucumi, striking the base of the upright. Bologna also hit the frame of the goal in the 89th minute when Martin Vitik’s header from a Lykogiannis free-kick thundered against the crossbar. Despite pressing hard in stoppage time for a winning goal, Pobega and Freuler’s late efforts were off target.
Bologna 1-1 Roma
Bernardeschi 50 (B), Pellegrini 71 (R)
