Andrea Belotti and Paulo Dybala got the goals to overturn RB Salzburg’s first leg victory and send Roma into the Europa League Round of 16.
The Austrians won the first leg 1-0, but with away goals no longer counting double, it was still all to play for at the Stadio Olimpico. Tammy Abraham had a special protective mask after stitches to his eyebrow, but was not considered ready to start, whereas Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini made their comebacks. Strahinja Pavlovic was suspended for Salzburg, who dropped into this competition from the Champions League.
Roger Ibanez was booked just four minutes in for hauling down Noah Okafor on the counter-attack, but Dybala was so unlucky to see his double opportunity on a corner denied on nine minutes by first a Phillipp Kohn save and then the crossbar.
Maurits Kjaergaard mis-timed the volley and failed to make the most of a lucky ricochet that had set him up from 12 yards, but Kohn got down to parry a Lorenzo Pellegrini daisy-cutter from the edge of the box.
The deadlock was finally broken when Leonardo Spinazzola got down the left, his cross was deflected and Andrea Belotti readjusted to nod in from an awkward height. That goal made it 1-1 on aggregate with everything to play for.
Spinazzola was sent down the left flank again moments later by Pellegrini and floated a ball that Dybala met on the volley from 10 yards to double Roma’s lead, putting them ahead on aggregate for the first time in the tie.
Kohn plucked a Dybala cross-shot out of the air and was almost propelled back into his own net still clutching the ball, but Adamu just failed to turn in at the back post on a dangerous cross.
The Salzburg goalkeeper made an unorthodox save using his chest and shoulder on Bryan Cristante’s screamer and Belotti was given a standing ovation when substituted, as the Stadio Olimpico crowd appreciated his work-rate.
Roma 2-0 RB Salzburg (2-1 agg)
Belotti 33 (R), Dybala 40 (R)
Player statistic
| Roger Ibañez |  |
4' | ||
| Lorenzo Pellegrini | |
5' | ||
| Andrea Belotti |  |
33' | ||
| Paulo Dybala (Assist: Leonardo Spinazzola) |
|
40' |
| Leonardo Spinazzola | |
54' | ||
| Nicola Zalewski | |
74' |
Match statistic
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