Roma broke their Porto curse and secured a place in the Europa League Round of 16 with a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Stadio Olimpico. After three past eliminations at the hands of the Portuguese side, the Giallorossi turned the tie around, led by a brilliant Paulo Dybala brace and a goal from Niccolò Pisilli. Now, all eyes are on the draw in Nyon, where Roma will discover if they’ll face Atletico Bilbao or, in a historic first, city rivals Lazio in an all-Rome European showdown.
The match was far from easy, as Roma struggled early under Porto’s intense pressing. The visitors struck first through a stunning overhead kick from Aghehowa, capitalizing on a misplaced pass by Svilar. Just as another heartbreak seemed possible, Dybala took charge—first with an outside-foot finish after a quick exchange with Shomurodov, then with a composed strike before halftime, taking advantage of a mistake by goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
In the second half, a red card for Eustaquio after a reckless challenge on Paredes gave Roma full control. Pisilli extended the lead, and although a late own goal by Rensch added some drama, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome. Roma marches on—now awaiting their next European test.
Roma holds on in Porto with ten men: qualification to be decided in Rome
13 Feb - 23:22 •
1' min
