05/02/24 04:02:00
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05/02 16:00 CDT Bayer Leverkusen's record unbeaten march continues with a 2-0
win at Roma in Europa League
Bayer Leverkusen's record unbeaten march continues with a 2-0 win at Roma in
Europa League
By ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer
ROME (AP) --- An imposing stadium in a major foreign capital did nothing to
stop Bayer Leverkusen's record unbeaten march across Europe.
The freshly crowned first-time Bundesliga champion silenced the Stadio Olimpico
with a 2-0 win at Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals on
Thursday to extend its unbeaten streak to 47 matches across all competitions.
No club from Europe's five biggest leagues --- in Germany, England, Italy,
Spain and France --- has had a longer unbeaten streak.
The result also marked a measure of revenge for Leverkusen --- since Roma had
beaten the German club in this exact same stage last season for its last defeat
in Europe.
Leverkusen's last loss across all competitions was a 3-0 defeat to Bochum in
the final round of last season's Bundesliga nearly a year ago --- on May 27,
2023.
Roma was dangerous with an early header off the crossbar from Romelu Lukaku.
But then Leverkusen scored on the counterattack seven minutes later.
A failed back pass from Roma right back Rick Karsdorp under pressure from Alex
Grimaldo on the left flank resulted in a 3-on-1 for Leverkusen. Grimaldo then
passed to Florian Wirtz, who calmly slotted in from the center of the area.
Midfielder Robert Andrich added another goal for Leverkusen in the 73rd with a
long-range shot --- just as Roma had been threatening on the other end.
In the other semifinal, Atalanta drew 1-1 at Marseille.
The second legs will be held next Thursday, with the final to be held in Dublin
on May 22.
Leverkusen has won only one European trophy: the 1988 UEFA Cup, which was then
predecessor to the Europa League. Its only other European final came in the
2002 Champions League, won by Real Madrid.
Roma is aiming to qualify for its third consecutive European final after
winning the Europa Conference League in 2022 and losing last year's Europa
League final to Sevilla in a penalty shootout.
Daniele De Rossi replaced Jose Mourinho as Roma's coach in January.
The Giallorossi hadn't lost a European knockout stage at the Stadio Olimpico in
seven years --- since getting beat 1-0 by Villarreal in the 2017 Europa League.
Roma fans' pre-match choreography across one entire end of the stadium spelled
out the word "AVANZIAMO" ("Let's advance"). But Roma now faces an uphill
challenge to eliminate Leverkusen, which hasn't lost all season.
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