FC Porto 1-1 Roma: Giallorossi head back to Rome level

FC Porto were held to a 1-1 draw by Roma in the first leg of the Europa League play-off round at the Estádio do Dragão.

A slow first half came to life just before the break, with Zeki Çelik firing Roma into a 1-0 lead just before the teams headed into halftime.

Porto quickly responded after the break, with Francisco Moura’s shot sailing past Mile Svilar, bringing the home side back on level terms. Roma were then reduced to 10 men, when Bryan Cristante received his second yellow card, but the hosts couldn’t take advantage of the numerical advantage, and the game ended in a draw.

The tie heads back to Italy, where both teams face each other again next week in the second leg, with a spot in the round of 16 on the line with the winner facing Lazio or Athletic Club.

As it happened

I Giallorossi controlled the early possession, looking to break down the Porto defence with patient build-up play. However, a quick counterattack allowed the home side to seize the initiative, and they created a decent chance, though it came to nothing. Roma responded with two rapid-fire opportunities, first from Artem Dovbyk and then from Lorenzo Pellegrini, but neither could test Diogo Costa.

Minutes later, Porto had a golden chance to take the lead. A brilliant bit of play from Stephen Eustaquio and Samu Aghehowa down the right wing saw Rodrigo Mora given a great opportunity inside the box. But just as Mora looked set to find the net, Bryan Cristante made a crucial late interception to keep the score level.

As the half-hour mark approached, Roma started to raise the tempo. Paulo Dybala became their main threat, creating a chance for Pellegrini, whose shot narrowly missed Costa’s right-hand post.

Roma kept pushing for the first goal, but things took a blow when Dybala had to come off injured. Tommaso Baldanzi came on in his place, looking to make an impact.

Just before halftime, the breakthrough came. Çelik finally put the away side ahead, reacting quickest when the ball fell to him inside the box. With a calm and composed finish, the Turkish international drilled it past an outstretched Costa to give Roma a deserved lead as the teams headed into the break.

Porto came out with more urgency in the second half, and it paid off when Moura forced Svilar into a sharp save, keeping Roma’s lead intact. However, the home sides’ quick start fizzled out as Roma regained control and began to dictate play, looking to extend their lead.

The away side thought they had doubled their lead, but Cristante’s header was denied by Costa. The midfielder connected with a corner, but his attempt was expertly kept out by the Porto goalkeeper.

Against the run of play, Porto pulled level in the 67th minute. A long goal kick from Costa found Moura in Roma’s half. The winger surged forward, unleashing a powerful shot that beat Svilar to make it 1-1.

It went from bad to worse for Roma, as Cristante received a second yellow card and was sent off, leaving the away side a man down. The dismissal gave Porto a major boost as they headed into the final 18 minutes of the match, with Roma now facing an uphill battle.

Martín Anselmi’s side had plenty of chances to take the lead, but a lack of quality in their finishing meant they couldn’t capitalize. Roma held firm and saw the game out, ensuring the draw.

Porto now shift their focus back to Liga Portugal, with a clash against Farense on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri’s Roma will now look to the Serie A, where they travel to Parma on Sunday night.

The Lineups

POR: Costa; Mario, Djalo, Pérez, Otavio, Moura; Eustaquio, Varela; Borges, Mora; Aghehowa

ROM: Svilar; Angeliño, N’Dicka, Mancini, Çelik , Saelemaekers; Pellegrini, Cristante, Koné; Dybala, Dovbyk