AS Roma welcomed Spanish side Real Betis to the Italian capital, Rome. It was a battle of first vs third on matchday 3 of the UEFA Europa League, Group C. The Romans sat third in the group with three points from two matches played — a win and a loss. Meanwhile, Betis visited the capital hoping to add another team to its list of vanquished foes in the group with a perfect record of two wins in two matches. The team led the group with six points.
The first half had drama and intrigue. Before the 25th minute mark, both teams had made a substitution due to injury. Real Betis approached the game with a definite desire to claim the points with its intensity throughout the first half. Roma was awarded a penalty which it converted in the 34th minute. Betis kept dominating and got a well deserved equaliser in the 40th minute. A stalemate at halftime with 1-1 the scoreline.
Roma improved in the second half with slightly more control over the tie. Most of the second-half chances came the way of the Italians but it was the visitors who snatched the points at the dying moments of the contest. The game ended with a 2-1 scoreline, to the visitors.
Roma’s Paulo Dybala converted a penalty awarded by VAR with the evidence that the ball had struck a Betis defender’s arm. He calmly slotted his left-footed strike past Bravo to give Roma the initiative. 1-0 in the 32nd minute. The Spaniards wasted no time evening the scoreline. L.H. (Luis Henrique) assisted Betis midfielder G. Rodriguez for a lovely long-range effort from outside the box leaving Patricio well beaten. 1-1 in the 40th minute.
The second half saw most of the chances go the Italian side’s way. The team forced Bravo into good saves and had their lack of accuracy to blame when Betis took the lead. L.H. was the scorer this time at the back post with his header as Rodri found him with a cross from the left wing. 2-1 to the visitors in the 88th minute. Roma’s Zaniolo expressed his frustration by kicking dangerously out at a Betis player. He got his marching orders, with the referee issuing him a red card at the third minute of added time.
There were a total of five yellow cards awarded in the course of the game. Four were to Betis and one was to Roma. The hosts also received a red card for what was an outrageous foul. Roma lost the possession battle 38% – 62% to the visitors. With five shots on target for each team and both teams striking the post, this fixture was not short of fireworks.
Roma remains third, still with the three points from three matches played. Real Betis is on nine points with three straight wins in three matches.
