Mats Wieffer scores winner as Roma beaten by Feyenoord in Europa League quarter-final first leg | Football News
Mats Wieffer scored a second-half winner to hand Feyenoord a 1-0 home victory over AS Roma in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final – after he had given away a first-half penalty.
Wieffer struck a bouncing half-volley from outside the box in the 53rd minute for the game’s only goal and a narrow advantage for the Dutch league leaders ahead of the return leg in the Italian capital next week.
It turned the night into a triumph for the 23-year-old, capped last month for the first time by the Netherlands, after he had conceded a penalty before half-time for a tug on Roma striker Tammy Abraham.
Leonardo Spinazzola hit the 43rd-minute spot-kick against an upright.
Feyenoord’s Mats Wieffer celebrates with teammates
Wieffer’s goal was set up by an incisive run down the left by winger Oussama Idrissi, who dribbled into the box before laying the ball back.
Feyenoord skipper Orkun Kokcu and Lutsharel Geertruida both had good chances to add to the home side’s score, while Roma were denied an equaliser by the slimmest of margins nine minutes after conceding.
Defender Roger Ibanez’s header hit the underside of the bar but goal line technology ruled his effort had not completely crossed.
Feyenoord players celebrate at the end of the first leg
Roma suffered two serious injury setbacks after Paulo Dybala went off early, followed early in second half by Abraham who suffered a shoulder injury.
Last season, Jose Mourinho’s team beat Feyenoord 1-0 in the final of the inaugural Europa Conference League.
The second leg of this tie is next Thursday at Romes Olympic Stadium. The winner meets either Bayer Leverkusen of Germany or the Belgian club Union Saint Gilloise in the semi-final.
