Image: GEPA pictures/ David Geieregger (GEPA pictures)
Thanks to a goal by Nicolas Capaldo in the 88th minute, Austria’s champions won the first duel of the play-offs with top Italian club AS Roma 1-0 (0-0) on Thursday. The return game will take place next Thursday (9 p.m.) in Rome.
Capaldo had been given preference over Maurits Kjaergaard in midfield by coach Matthias Jaissle and was in the starting XI for the first time since October. It turned out to be a gold handle. The Argentine headed in from a cross from Strahinja Pavlovic, who is suspended for a third yellow card in the second leg. Second match winner of Salzburger was goalkeeper Philipp Köhn, who held on to the draw with two strong saves until the end.
Salzburg acted courageously and actively from the beginning as usual. The young squad initially combined well to the penalty area, but was not mandatory. The most dangerous was Noah Okafor (10th), who shot over the goal.
Because Roma, like always teams of star coach Jose Mourinho, was well organized defensively and closed in front of their own goal. After a good 20 minutes, Roma also appeared offensively, Tammy Abraham headed twice dangerously (24th, 26th).
The game was then balanced and would have for the Salzburger can get bitter just before the break. In the 43rd minute, Abraham had a huge chance to put the visitors ahead after a long ball, but Köhn brilliantly parried the shot from the English striker.
At the break, Mourinho took off Argentine world champion Paulo Dybala, replaced by right-back Zeki Celik, with Stephan El Shaarawy moving up a stage. Nothing has changed in the cautious style of play of the three-time Italian champions and current fourth in Serie A.
The Salzburger were more offensive in front of Mark Mateschitz, who was in the stadium for the first time since the death of his father Dietrich. A deflected shot by Capaldo (56th) just missed the target. Junior Adamu appeared a minute after coming on as a header when he headed the five but failed to hit the ball properly (61′).
In the finish, Roma, who had always scored at least once in the last 24 European Cup away games, became extremely dangerous twice after corner kicks. Cristante’s header landed on the outside bar (73′), in the 81st minute Andrea Belotti got the ball three meters from goal, and Köhn was able to direct his shot to the crossbar with a great reflex.
And when everyone was expecting a goalless game, struck Salzburg still closed. The Red Bulls have the chance to advance to the last 16 of the Europe League for the fourth time after 2014, 2018 and 2019 in front of 70,000 spectators in the sold-out Olympic Stadium in Rome next Thursday.
The game in front of 29,520 spectators in the sold-out stadium in Salzburg was managed by Dutchman Dennis Higler, who was actually intended as VAR assistant and who stepped in for the sick Swede Glenn Nyberg.
Source: Nachrichten
