Roma recorded a 1-0 win over AC Milan in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night, with Gianluca Mancini netting the only goal of the contest.
The Yellow and Reds therefore have a lead to protect ahead of the second leg of the contest next week, which is set up to be a fascinating affair between the two Serie A rivals.
The first opportunity of the match fell to Paulo Dybala after five minutes, but the Argentine lifted his effort over the crossbar from just inside the penalty box.
Less than a minute later, Roma had another chance, this time through Lorenzo Pellegrini, but his effort from a bouncing ball was always sailing over Mike Maignan‘s crossbar.
Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar made a smart save to deny Tijjani Reijnders in the ninth minute during a lively start, before Maignan did brilliantly to deny Stephan El Shaarawy down the other end.
The visitors made the breakthrough in the 17th minute of the contest, with Mancini heading a corner from Dybala into the back of the net to silence the home supporters.
Olivier Giroud came close to a leveller for Milan in the 21st minute, but the experienced striker saw his first effort cleared off the line by Romelu Lukaku, before he was again denied by the Belgian from the follow-up.
source – Football News, Previews, Predictions, Transfers (sportsmole.co.uk)
