Roma youth product Edoardo Bove was in the right place at the right time to give Roma a precious first leg Europa League semi-final victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
The Giallorossi were still decimated by injuries, missing Stephan El Shaarawy, Chris Smalling, Marash Kumbulla, Diego Llorente and Rick Karsdorp, with Paulo Dybala and Gini Wijnaldum only fit for the bench. Bayer dropped down from the Champions League and saw their 14-match unbeaten streak ended at the weekend, but made the trip without Patrik Schick, Karim Bellarabi, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Andrey Lunev.
The visitors tested Rui Patricio in the opening minute with Robert Andrich in a surprising amount of space, then Florian Wirtz also failed to make the most of a promising opportunity.
Roma thought they had taken the lead on 18 minutes when a free kick was floated over the top for the Roger Ibanez header from six yards, bringing an extraordinary one-handed reaction save from Lukas Hradecky.
Odilon Kossounou limped off with a knee injury and it was Roma who broke the deadlock with homegrown talent Edoardo Bove. He ran past one player in midfield and set up Tammy Abraham to test Hradecky, then was ready to fire in the rebound on that save.
Roma threatened again moments later, Hradecky making the save on Belotti and Bove acrobatically failing to turn in on the rebound.
Rui Patricio collided with Roger Ibanez when going for a high ball, leaving the goal wide open, so Bryan Cristante got back to clear Frimpong’s effort off the line with his stomach.
Roma 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Bove 63 (R)
Player statistic
| 50' |  |
Robert Andrich | ||
| 57' | |
Moussa Diaby | ||
| Gianluca Mancini | |
58' | ||
| 58' | |
Jonathan Tah | ||
| Edoardo Bove |  |
63' | ||
| Tammy Abraham | |
76' | ||
| Roger Ibañez | |
89' | ||
| Leonardo Spinazzola | |
90+3' |
Match statistic
