An Edin Dzeko hat-trick and astonishing Diego Perotti rabona goal saw Roma crush Viktoria Plzen 4-1 and lock down Europa League group victory.
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An Edin Dzeko hat-trick and astonishing Diego Perotti rabona goal saw Roma crush Viktoria Plzen 4-1 and lock down Europa League group victory.
Follow the action from all today’s Italian competitors in the Europa League on the LIVEBLOG.
The Giallorossi needed only a point to be sure of qualification to the Europa League Round of 32, but had made life difficult for themselves before, most notably fumbling a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 here with Austria Vienna. Their confidence was also shaken by Sunday’s surprise defeat to Atalanta in Serie A, while Stephan El Shaarawy joined Francesco Totti, Alessandro Florenzi and Mario Rui on the treatment table. Viktoria Plzen held Roma to a 1-1 draw in the opening group game, but had only three stalemates from four rounds.
Edin Dzeko scored with the first genuine chance and it was a stunning goal too, as he turned Jan Kovarik inside out at the by-line with a Cruyff turn to put the ball on to his left foot and curled a magnificent finish into the far top corner from the tightest of angles.
Dzeko stung the goalkeeper’s gloves from distance too, but the Roma defence was caught napping as Martin Zeman was allowed a free header to equalise from Kovarik’s cross.
Mohamed Salah wasted a promising counter with his weak finish, Dzeko’s glancing header whistled wide then Radja Nainggolan went on a strong run only for the goalkeeper to fingertip it off his feet and Emerson Palmieri’s follow-up was charged down.
Salah squirmed away from defenders, but his toe-poke finish thumped the base of the upright on the stroke of half-time.
Leandro Paredes curled a free kick over the wall, but it dipped on to the top of the crossbar. Kozacik then used his leg to deny Salah from point-blank range.
It was another moment of magic from Dzeko to restore Roma’s advantage, as he met Antonio Rudiger’s cross at the back post for a remote-controlled header back across the face of goal.
Salah missed an absolute sitter when Roma were three against two on the counter, prodding wide from a Nainggolan assist.
Roma did get their third goal with an astounding goal, as Diego Perotti chipped the ‘keeper with a rabona – that’s crossing the legs and kicking the ball with the back foot. However, the Argentine waved to his teammates not to congratulate him too much, as it was intended to be an assist for Salah and looped straight in.
Dzeko completed his hat-trick, as Perotti flew down the left and rolled across for the Bosnian to sweep home relatively unmarked.
Roma 4-1 Viktoria Plzen
Dzeko 11, 61, 88 (R), Zeman 18 (P), Perotti 82 (R)
Roma: Alisson; Peres, Fazio, Rudiger, Emerson Palmieri; Paredes, Strootman (Gerson 89); Salah (De Rossi 83), Nainggolan, Iturbe (Perotti 63); Dzeko
Viktoria Plzen: Kozacik; Mateju, Hejda, Limbersky, Kovarik; Hrosovsky, Hromada; Petrzela, Kopic (Duris 63), Zeman; Krmencik
Ref: Stieler (GER)