SVILAR THE PENALTY SHOOT-OUT HERO

Mile Svilar was the hero with two saves in the penalty shoot-out, as Roma eliminated Feyenoord yet again to secure their place in the Europa League Round of 16.

The first leg ended 1-1 with Romelu Lukaku replying to Igor Paixao, so with away goals rules no longer applying, it was all to play for. Edoardo Bove was suspended, with Tammy Abraham injured, Dean Huijsen and Rasmus Kristensen ineligible. Santiago Gimenez and Lutsharel Geertruida were back in the starting XI, but Justin Bijlow, Gernot Trauner, Thomas van den Belt and Gjvai Zechiel were still out of action.

The Dutch side had already lost here 1-0 to Lazio in November and all three of their Champions League away fixtures ended in defeat this season.

However, it was a nightmare start for Daniele De Rossi, as within five minutes Hartman had crossed for Bart Nieuwkoop, Stephan El Shaarawy attempted to clear, but the strange effect looped into the path of Gimenez to redirect from six yards with his chest.

Roma fought back, as on a corner the Romelu Lukaku shot was cleared practically off the line, then Calvin Stengs was behind Diego Llorente as he went down, but VAR did not see enough contact for a penalty.

Mile Svilar did well to stay on his feet and deny Mats Wieffer’s counter-attack one-on-one, but the hosts equalised when El Shaarawy laid if off for Pellegrini on the edge of the box to curl right-footed into the far top corner.

Gimenez shinned over from a promising position, while Bryan Cristante only glanced his head to a Pellegrini cross that skimmed the far post and Pellegrini slipped when meeting the Lukaku lay-off.

Dybala’s volley was charged down after the restart, then there was controversy on 57 minutes. El Shaarawy and Stengs went to clear at the same time, the Roma man got there first and was kicked in the back of the ankle, but while in Serie A that is always given as a penalty, VAR and the referee waved play on here.

Diego Llorente was stretchered off after an accidental clash of heads with Ayase Ueda, giving Evan Ndicka his comeback after the Africa Cup of Nations.

David Hancko got a toe to the ball to stop Lukaku finishing off from seven yards after combining with El Shaarawy, but the tie went to extra time.

Cristante’s header on a Leandro Paredes corner was deflected onto the side-netting and Svilar was right behind the Luka Ivanusec curler.

Feyenoord looked sharper in extra time than the visibly tiring Giallorossi, Nicola Zalewski getting a toe to the ball to stop Geertruida finishing off the Yankuba Minteh move.

Minteh also tested Svilar at the near post, while the goalkeeper anticipated Lukaku and Zalewski slipped at the crucial moment.

Roma almost won it in the final minute of extra time, as Tommaso Baldanzi sent Lukaku through, his angled drive was on target until the astonishing fingertip save from Timon Wellenreuther. On the resulting corner, Lukaku’s header into the ground bounced back over.

It went to a penalty shoot-out, Roma still smarting from losing the Europa League Final last season to Sevilla in this manner.

Lukaku’s weak spot-kick was saved, but so was the David Hancko effort by Svilar. The goalkeeper who De Rossi promoted ahead of Rui Patricio proved decisive, as he also denied Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who had only come on for the shoot-out.

Nicola Zalewski kept his cool and converted the final penalty to send Roma into the Round of 16 .