Roma vs Porto Europa League Match Recap and Analysis

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Roma has secured their place in the last 16 of the Europa League after a thrilling 3-2 win over Porto in the second leg of their knockout playoff. The Italian side came from behind to claim the victory, with Paulo Dybala scoring twice and Niccolo Pisilli adding the decisive goal. The first leg had ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving the second leg in the balance. Samu opened the scoring for Porto with a brilliant overhead kick, but Roma levelled eight minutes later thanks to Dybala's fine finish into the bottom corner.

The Argentine striker was on the scoresheet again just four minutes later as his drilled strike put the Italians ahead. Stephen Eustaquio was sent off six minutes into the second half for Porto following a review by the video assistant referee (VAR) after hitting out at Leandro Paredes, although the decision seemed harsh. Roma took advantage as substitute Niccolo Pisilli claimed the decisive goal with seven minutes remaining with a guided finish, meaning Devyne Rensch's own goal in stoppage time did not matter in the end. The win sets up a potential last-16 clash with city rivals Lazio, who are also competing in the Europa League.

Roma's recent form has been impressive, with the team unbeaten in nine Serie A matches and having won 13 of their last 16 Europa League home matches. The team's manager, Claudio Ranieri, has been credited with turning the season around after a messy start. Porto, on the other hand, has been struggling, with the team sitting third in the Primeira Liga standings and having lost just one of seven previous meetings with Roma. However, the Portuguese side has won just five of their last 26 knockout matches in UEFA competition, losing 16, and only one of those wins came on the road.

The match saw several key players missing for both teams, with Bryan Cristante and Alexis Saelemaekers suspended for Roma, and Marko Grujic and Martim Fernandes sidelined for Porto. The possible starting lineups for the match included Svilar, Mancini, Hummels, and Ndicka for Roma, and Costa, Djalo, Perez, and Otavio for Porto. The win for Roma was a significant one, with the team now looking forward to the last 16 of the Europa League. The Europa League has been a successful competition for Roma in recent years, with the team winning the Conference League in 2022 and reaching the final and semi-finals in successive seasons.

Here are the match scores:

• Roma 3, Porto 2

And here are the player statistics:

• Paulo Dybala: 2 goals
• Niccolo Pisilli: 1 goal
• Samu: 1 goal
• Devyne Rensch: 1 own goal

The tournament schedule will continue with the last 16 matches, and the draw will take place on Friday at 12:00 GMT. Roma will face either fellow Italians Lazio or Spain's Athletic Bilbao in the last 16.

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