Rome, March 7, 2024 – In a thrilling Europa League encounter, AS Roma left Brighton teetering on the brink of elimination with a resounding 4-0 victory in the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico.
Match Summary:
Paulo Dybala set the tone early, breaking the deadlock within 12 minutes. Initially ruled offside, VAR corrected the decision, confirming the Argentine was comfortably behind the last defender.
A Brighton defensive blunder gifted Roma a cushion just before halftime. A heavy touch by Lewis Dunk allowed Romelu Lukaku to break free, and he calmly slotted home Roma’s second goal.
The third goal was equally poorly defended. After a half-cleared corner, Gianluca Mancini found the net, leaving Brighton with an uphill battle.
The final blow came swiftly as Bryan Cristante nodded in another goal after more lackluster defending.
Off the Pitch:
The night held an extra sour note for Brighton. Their traveling fans were targeted by coins, bottles, and lighters from the home stands. The club reported the incident to UEFA and the Italian police. Two Seagulls fans had already been stabbed in the Italian capital ahead of the game.
What’s Next:
Roma faces Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday (kick-off at 7:45 PM).
The return leg will be held at the Amex Stadium next Thursday.
Brighton takes on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday before their second-leg clash.
AS Roma showed a strong performance with a total of 12 shots, 7 on target, and maintained 42% possession. Brighton & Hove Albion had more possession at 58% but couldn’t capitalize on their 13 shots, with only 5 on target1.
This result puts AS Roma in a strong position for the second leg of this UEFA Europa League tie.
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