Bologna 1-1 Roma: Match Report and Player Ratings

Bologna hosted AS Roma tonight for the first leg of the Europa League round of 16. Both teams were hoping to avenge losses in Serie A on the weekend. This came as both teams were playing angry and looking for a win to get their form back on track.

This led to the start of the game being a skittish grudge match. Bologna and Roma both saw a player pickup a yellow card in the first 15 minutes. It was worse for Bologna as Juan Miranda picked up the yellow and will now miss the second leg.

A fairly even first half would end up scoreless in a physical battle. Both sides had good chances on either end mainly through counter attacks, but both failed to create a big one. This came as both Santiago Castro and Donyell Malen were kept quite by the opposing defences in the first half.

However, in the second half the game would blow open. Bologna managed to find a spark plug through Jonathan Rowe who had a magnificent second half. He would create more with the ball beating Roma defenders on the ground and opening up the Giallorossi’s defence.

Rowe would manage to create the opening goal of the game for Bologna. He bought the ball down from a long pass dribbled past four Roma players and threaded the needle to Federico Bernardsechi who would then finish beautiful across goal to give the Rossoblu the lead.

Roma would look to create an equaliser after Roma scored but started off with little success. Bologna was aiming to keep up some pressure but Roma would have more control in the game. However, Roma would manage to find their break through substitute Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Joao Mario would be unable to control a high ball which would bounce allowing Cristante to take it. He would then find Donyell Malen who would beat 3 Bologna defenders and force Lukasz Skorupski to dive allowing him to find Lorenzo Pellegrini with an open net to equalise.

Donyell Malen would have another big chance to score after beating two defenders and Skorupski one on one, however his shot would be deflected off the post. Meanwhile in the 88th minute Martin Vitik managed to beat Mile Svilar with a header but it went off the crossbar and out of play, leaving the game level until full time.

Player Ratings

Bologna

Jonathan Rowe – 7.5: Jonathan Rowe was my man of the match today as he was key for Bologna, throughout the game. He created most of their chances including the second goal were he found Federico Bernardeschi open on the left side of the box.

Lukasz Skorupski (5.5), Juan Miranda (6.5), Jhon Lucumi (5.5), Nicolo Casale (5.5), Joao Mario (6), Tommaso Pogeba (6.5), Remo Freuler (5.5), Lewis Ferguson (6), Federico Bernardeschi (7), Santiago Castro (6)

Roma

Donyell Malen – 7: Donyell Malen was on the end of the most of Roma’s chance while also being responsible for creating some of them. However, his performance lacked the clinical end product today which we have come to know him for with Roma so far this season.

Mile Svilar (6.5), Zeki Celik (5.5), Evan Ndicka (6.5), Daniele Ghilardi (6), Devyne Rensch (5), Neil El Aynaoui (5.5), Niccolo Pisilli (5.5), Wesley (6), Bryan Cristante (6), Bryan Zaragoza (5),