Roma gain the upper hand in Europa League tie against Ajax 1 minute read
Sports Desk, Apr 8 (efe-epa).- AS Roma look like the favorite to advance to the Europa League semifinals after besting Ajax 1-2 in Thursday’s quarterfinal first leg in Amsterdam.
The only Italian club still in the hunt for European honors came from behind to prevail on a pair of set pieces in the second half.
The hosts has the ball for two-thirds of the contest and put nine shots on target to Roma’s four, but a missed penalty and a colossal mistake by a young goalkeeper proved too much to overcome.
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Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Thanks to muscle injuries robbing Roma of Chris Smalling, Roger Ibañez, and Marash Kumbulla for most of 2021, Paulo Fonseca is no stranger to dealing with a depleted roster, but the injury bug has bitten Roma
again, as the Giallorossi will now have to do without one of their most important players, midfielder Jordan Veretout. If you caught Wednesday s nail-biting victory over Fiorentina, you likely saw Veretout fall to the pitch around the hour mark, writhing in pain as Franck Ribery carried the ball up the pitch in a sequence that eventually led to Leonardo Spinazzola s own goal.