Bayer Leverkusen asserted their dominance in the Europa League semifinal with a decisive 2-0 triumph over AS Roma in the first leg of their encounter.
The Bundesliga champions clinched only their second victory on Italian soil with goals from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich, showcasing a formidable display of skill and strategy.
Throughout the match, Roma struggled to break through Leverkusen’s defense, managing just two shots on target.
Notably, star striker Romelu Lukaku found himself isolated for much of the game before being substituted after 80 minutes.
Even with substitute Tammy Abraham presented with a clear opportunity in stoppage time, Roma failed to capitalize on scoring chances.
The breakthrough for Leverkusen came when full-back Alex Grimaldo capitalized on a misplaced backpass, setting up midfielder Wirtz for his 18th goal of the season. Despite Roma’s efforts to counter, Leverkusen maintained their lead into halftime.
In the second half, Leverkusen further solidified their advantage as midfielder Andrich extended their lead with a precise strike into the top-left corner from long range.
Meanwhile, in the other semifinal first leg, Marseille and Atalanta battled to a 1-1 draw at Stade Velodrome. Gianluca Scamacca opened the scoring for Atalanta, swiftly countered by a long-range effort from Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba. With both teams squandering opportunities, the tie remains finely poised ahead of the second leg in Bergamo next week.
Source – Leverkusen dominates Roma with 2-0 victory in Europa League semifinal clash (mundodeportivo.com)
