AS Roma won the inaugural UEFA Europa League Conference Final with a 1-0 victory over Feyenoord at the Air Albania Stadium in Tirana on Wednesday evening.
Henrik Mkhitaryan was fit to start for Roma and he came in to replace Sergio Oliveira in the team. Feyenoord goalkeeper and captain Justin Bijlow was fit and he made an immediate return to the starting XI.
It was a confident start from Feyenoord with Roma sitting back and allowing them to have the ball.
The Dutch side continued to knock it around comfortably with Roma struggling to get a hold in the match and having to rely on intermittent counter-attacks out wide.
Unfortunately for Feyenoord, Roma took the lead with their first chance. Gernot Trauner misjudged the flight of a cross from deep and Nicolo Zaniolo brought it down on his chest before flicking it over the goalkeeper.
While the first half was a cagey affair, it was nothing of the sort after the restart. Feyenoord were lucky not to have a man sent off when Tammy Abraham was pulled back having got himself on the wrong side of the last defender.
Former Manchester United centre-back Chris Smalling then came to the rescue of Roma when he bravely put his body on the line to block Kokcu’s blistering effort from the edge of the box.
Feyenoord gloveman Bijlow had to be on his toes to prevent the Italians from doubling their lead. A corner was swung in and it came out to Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose drilled effort back in was well saved.
Smalling was having an inspired performance and made another of his numerous interventions when he got himself in the way of a shot from Dessers, who had got in clear on goal.
Roma stuck to the defensive tactics employed by their manager Jose Mourinho to close out the win despite having just over 30 percent of the ball.
Source: Kick-off.com
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