Roma’s Europa League journey ended at the semi-final stage as they crashed out against Manchester United on Thursday, despite a spirited showing in the second leg. Their 3-2 win in Rome saw the Premier League side advance with an 8-5 aggregate win.
A 6-2 hammering at Old Trafford in the first leg all but confirmed the end of their participation in Europe this season, but the Giallorrossi showed some fight in what was Paulo Fonseca’s last European game in charge at the Stadio Olimpico.
Edinson Cavani opened the scoring on the night for the visitors, having already given the Italians no end of problems in the first leg, and it looked to be a case of damage limitation for Roma then.
But they fought back after half time. Edin Dzeko tapped in before Bryan Cristante gave them the lead on the night, with both goals separated by just three minutes, and things got tense for a few minutes then.
The hosts had two chances in quick succession and David De Gea was both reactive and fortunate to deny Pedro, Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan from very close range. They pushed, but couldn’t beat the Spaniard for a third time despite United looking shaken.
Cavani killed off any hope Roma had eight minutes after Cristante’s goal, though, heading in after wandering into the box unmarked.
Nineteen-year-old Nicola Zalewski scored a late consolation for the hosts, sending a deflected volley in for his first goal for the club.
United will meet Villarreal in the final after the Spanish side eliminated Arsenal.
