Europa League | Porto 1-1 Roma: Solid first leg result for Giallorossi

Roma had been in control with the Zeki Celik goal, but after an unlucky deflection and the Bryan Cristante red card, were forced to hang on for a solid 1-1 Europa League play-off draw.

The Giallorossi had Devyne Rensch injured, with Lucas Gourna-Douath and Anass Salah-Eddine not on the UEFA list, but Leandro Paredes and Mats Hummels were surprisingly benched. Porto brought in new coach Martin Anselmi on January 27 and this was only his fourth game, missing Marko Grujic and Martim Fernandez, but Otavio returned from suspension against Sporting at the weekend.

The second leg is at the Stadio Olimpico next Thursday, February 20.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Porto had a dangerous counter-attack from an early Roma corner, Evan N’Dicka making the decisive clearance as Alan Varela was pulling the trigger, while Artem Dovbyk and then Manu Kone failed to make the most of cheap giveaways with poor finishing.

The hosts should’ve scored on 13 minutes with a sweeping move from right to left, but over-did it with one too many passes and Bryan Cristante was able to intercept from 10 yards.

Paulo Dybala’s finish was too weak when Dovbyk laid it off with his back to goal, then Pellegrini steered wide with the inside of the right boot when he probably should’ve left it for La Joya.

There was bad news for Roma when they lost Dybala to a knee injury, 19 minutes after he had been kicked there by Alan Varela in a bookable offence.

epa11894218 Roma's Paulo Dybala gestures as he lies on the ground during the UEFA Europa League soccer match between FC Porto and AS Roma, in Porto, Portugal, 13 February 2025. EPA-EFE/JOSE COELHO — epa11894218 Roma’s Paulo Dybala gestures as he lies on the ground during the UEFA Europa League soccer match between FC Porto and AS Roma, in Porto, Portugal, 13 February 2025. EPA-EFE/JOSE COELHO

The Giallorossi took the lead deep into first half stoppages, as substitute Tommaso Baldanzi battled to win back the ball and spread it to the left for Alexis Saelemaekers, the roll across was blocked off for Dovbyk, but Zeki Celik pounced to score from a tricky angle.

Roma take the lead in Porto! ⚽️

It’s the centre-back Celik who follows the play and gets his reward to nip in and fire past Costa 🎯

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 13, 2025

The booked and irritable Saelemaekers and Kone were replaced for the restart, but Mile Svilar immediately needed a great save from point-blank range on Francisco Moura, who was sent clear by the smart Rodrigo Mora pass.

Pellegrini had an effort charged down after a well-worked team move and Niccolò Pisilli blasted straight at the goalkeeper from distance.

Diogo Costa had to make a desperate reaction save on Cristante’s header from a corner, but moments later Porto equalised against the run of play.

Diogo Costa started the move with a long goal kick for Pepê, who battled two defenders to lay it off for Francisco Moura’s heavily deflected strike off Baldanzi to wrong-foot Svilar.

Porto are level, and it’s Francisco Moura’s deflected effort that finds the back of the Roma net to make it 1-1 ⚽️

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 13, 2025

Matias Soulé came on and immediately saw his low cross-shot almost squirm in at the near post, but it went from bad to worse when Cristante received his second yellow card for a shirt tug on Eustaquio.

They’ve conceded an equaliser, and now they’re down to 10 🟥

Cristante sees his second yellow for a pull, and Roma are in a bit of trouble now in Porto.

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/KwLGJjIB33

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 13, 2025

The game was transformed and Porto poured forward, Goncalo Borges volleying a corner over undisturbed from seven yards, then Francisco Moura’s header cleared in a panic and Namaso curled wide.