Roma substitutions inspired a comeback from 1-0 down to win 2-1 in Switzerland, beating Young Boys with Bruno Peres and Marash Kumbulla goals.
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Roma substitutions inspired a comeback from 1-0 down to win 2-1 in Switzerland, beating Young Boys with Bruno Peres and Marash Kumbulla goals.
Follow all the action as it happens and give your views on the LIVEBLOG.
Paulo Fonseca changed nine of the 11 that started in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Benevento, giving Borja Mayoral his first start for the club and Pau Lopez his first appearance of the season. The Swiss side were without Christopher Martins Pereira, Sandro Lauper, Esteban Petignat and Marvin Spielmann.
It took all of 14 minutes for the hosts to take the lead, as Bryan Cristante was adjudged to have brought down Fabian Rieder right on the edge of the area and Jean-Pierre Nsame converted the penalty into the bottom corner, giving Pau Lopez little chance.
Pedro Rodriguez blasted over when a free kick fell kindly for him, then Carles Perez did everything right with a mazy run through defenders until it came to the finish.
Nsame was very lively and fired another potential opportunity off target when one-on-one with Pau Lopez.
Leonardo Spinazzola replaced Rick Karsdorp at half-time and immediately made an impact, his cross just beyond Borja Mayoral.
Fonseca introduced the big guns and they made the difference, as Edin Dzeko created a perfect pass to send Bruno Peres through, the wing-back gently prodding it under the on-rushing goalkeeper from a tricky angle to equalise.
Suddenly, the Giallorossi were a different team and turned it around completely, as Henrikh Mkhitaryan whipped in a cross from a corner for Marash Kumbulla’s header at the back post.
It could even have been 3-1, but Mkhitaryan failed to make the most of the Spinazzola counter-attack, but Pau Lopez needed a fine save on 86 minutes to deny Elia the equaliser, tipping it over the crossbar.
Young Boys 1-2 Roma
Nsame pen 14 (Y), Bruno Peres 69 (R), Kumbulla 74 (R)
Young Boys: Von Ballmoos; Burgy, Lustenberger, Zesiger; Hefti, Rieder (Aebischer 69), Sierro (Gaudino 79), Maceiras; Fassnacht (Elia 65), Nsame (Siebatcheu 79), Ngamaleu (Mambimbi 65)
Roma: Pau Lopez; Kumbulla, Fazio, Juan Jesus (Pellegrini 70); Karsdorp (Spinazzola 46), Villar (Veretout 59), Cristante, Peres; Carles Perez, Pedro (Mkhitaryan 59); Borja Majoral (Dzeko 59)
Ref: Del Cerro Grande (ESP)