Roma v Real Sociedad Live Commentary & Result, 2023/03/09, UEFA Europa League

That's all for today, goodbye.

Next up, Roma host Sassuolo in Serie A with La Real travelling to Mallorca in LaLiga.

It’s advantage Roma, as they take a 2-0 lead over La Real into the second leg. El Shaarawy struck first after a blistering counter-attack. Dybala found Abraham, with the striker twisting past Zubeldia before laying the ball into the path of El Shaarawy who had a simple finish. Kubo then hit the post for La Real before Roma went close again. Belotti rushed onto a pass from Mancini, pushing away Zubeldia before powering an effort against the outside of the post. Merino then poked a shot wide before Kumbulla scored Roma’s second. Dybala’s inswinging corner found the head of the Albanian who powered the ball past Remiro.

90' + 6' FULL-TIME: ROMA 2-0 REAL SOCIEDAD

Mikel Oyarzabal

Yellow Card

90' + 4' Oyarzabal is also booked after arguing with Matic. The midfielder was unhappy with a challenge made by the Roma man.

N. Matić

Yellow Card

90' + 4' Matic is in the book after an altercation with Oyarzabal.

90' + 1' Sola lashes the ball over from outside the box.

90' There will be six minutes of additional time.

E. Bove

P. Dybala

88' Dybala's last involvement was an assist for the second goal. He is given a great reception from the home fans on his way off the pitch. Bove replaces him.

P. Dybala

Assist

87' Involved in the first goal, Dybala gets the assist for the second. He finds the run of Kumbulla who crashes in a header from close range.

M. Kumbulla

Goal

87' GOALLLLL! 2-0 ROMA! What a corner from Dybala. His inswinging corner finds Kumbulla who powers in a header from close range. La Real will be disappointed as he was unmarked.

Martín Zubimendi

Yellow Card

85' Belotti makes another La Real player go in the book. This time he rushes down the left flank and is tripped by Zubimendi.

Álex Sola

Gorosabel

83' On a yellow card, Gorosabel is replaced. Sola is on.

Beñat Turrientes

David Silva

83' La Real make two substitutions. The first sees Silva come off for Turrientes. Silva has looked good at times but has not had the time on the ball that he would have wanted.

82' WIDE! Mendez chips the ball into the box towards Merino. The former Newcastle United man gets ahead of Karsdorp but shoots wide from close range.

Gorosabel

Yellow Card

80' Gorosabel is the third La Real player in the book after pulling the shirt of Spinazzola.

79' La Real have looked better in the second half, but have struggled to get inside Roma's box. Even though they haven't found an equaliser, they have looked stronger defensively and have only conceded one clear chance after the break.

77' Matic gets to the byline on the left before crossing to Karsdorp on the other side. Instead of shooting, he puts a cross in that is cleared by Zubimendi.

Brais Méndez

Illarramendi

75' Straight swap in La Real's midfield. Illarramendi has taken every free-kick and corner but is now being replaced. Mendez is on.

M. Cho

T. Kubo

75' Kubo has been involved in all of La Real's positive attacking movements, but is now being given a rest. Ali Cho comes on for the final 15 minutes.

75' La Real haven't been as sharp as Roma. This time Kubo has a chance to move the ball forward after receiving a pass from Silva, but his touch is poor. Smalling races in to take it away from him.

73' Rico gets lucky. Belotti wins the ball off the left-back, but it shoots out for a throw-in.

Zubeldia

Yellow Card

71' Just two minutes after the first yellow card of the game, a La Real player is in the book again. Zubeldia is punished after crashing into Belotti inside Roma's half.

Illarramendi

Yellow Card

68' Illarramendi is the first player to be booked after committing a foul just outside La Real's box.

Mikel Oyarzabal

A. Sørloth

68' La Real make their first change of the game. Sorloth has failed to make an impact in the attack and has been isolated by Roma's defence. Oyarzabal in on.

67' POST! What a run from Belotti. Mancini launches the ball forward over La Real's defence. Running onto it, Belotti gets past Zubeldia before crashing a shot against the right post.

66' Silva and Kubo keep the ball on the right before the Japan international plays it out to Merino. However, he does not check the position of his team-mate and plays it off the pitch.

64' Illarramendi's inswinging free-kick is punched away by Patricio. With players from both Roma and La Real around him, he did not risk trying to catch it.

63' Rico unleashes Illarramendi down the left who drives forward with the ball. Cristante does well to close down the space before crashing into the midfielder.

A. Belotti

T. Abraham

61' A straight swap in the attack sees Belotti replace Abraham. The former Torino man will have to replicate the energy of Abraham who pressed aggressively.

L. Spinazzola

S. El Shaarawy

60' After scoring the only goal, El Shaarawy is now coming off. Spinazzola replaces him on the left wing.

G. Wijnaldum

L. Pellegrini

60' Mourinho is making a triple substitution. The first is enforced with captain Pellegrini sustaining a head injury. Wijnaldum comes on in his place.

59' Pellegrini is back on his feet and is walking off the pitch. However, he will not continue.

57' Pellegrini is down and is holding his head after colliding with Zubeldia. The medical staff are on the pitch.

56' CLOSE! Outside the box, Merino heads the ball across to Rico who has nobody around him. The left-back cuts across the ball, unleashing a powerful effort that deflects just wide of the post.

54' Merino switches the ball out to the left flank with Illarramendi rushing into space. With time to make a decision, he sends a low cross straight at Pellegrini who clears it away.

52' La Real have a spell of possession with Roma pinned into their own defensive third. Zubimendi is then punished after the ball hits his hand after a tackle from Pellegrini and the chance is gone.

50' Matic turns on the ball and plays it out to Pellegrini. He sends it inside looking for a one-two with El Shaarawy, but the winger fails to put enough power on the pass and La Real come away with it.

48' Dribbling forward, Pellegrini loses the ball with La Real back in possession. Unhappy with what he did, the Italian runs back and wins it back for Roma, sliding it away from Silva.

47' Illarramendi tries to thread a ball down the left side of the box with Rico rushing forward, but Mancini blocks his path and lets it go behind for a goal-kick.

47' Roma get the game back under way. La Real did not make a change at the break.

M. Kumbulla

Diego Llorente

46' Roma make their first change of the game. Llorente emerged from the tunnel but will not continue, going back inside. Kumbulla will take his place.

Roma were excellent in the first 45 minutes. Pressing with energy, Abraham, Dybala and Pellegrini have not given La Real a moment's rest. Rico has also struggled to deal with Dybala. The Argentine is quicker than the defender and has picked up positions in the middle of the pitch as well as on the wing. As for the away side, they need to add variation in their attack. They are relying on Kubo to produce magic. The Japan international has looked good at times but has been marked out of the game for most of the half, with their other opportunities coming from free-kicks.

Roma have the lead at the break thanks to a goal from El Shaarawy. Dybala broke forward on the counter before laying it into the path of Abraham. Inside the box, the striker turned past Zubeldia before lashing it across to El Shaarawy, with the winger bundling it in from close range. Kubo had a chance to equaliser nine minutes later but crashed the post from a narrow-angle. After that, it was all Roma. Dybala's curling effort from outside the box was poked over by Pellegrini, with the Argentine also failing to convert from close range after Abraham had blocked a clearance from Remiro.

45' HALF-TIME: ROMA 1-0 REAL SOCIEDAD

44' Karsdorp launches the ball into the box from the right, but nobody is there to receive it. He had space to run into and should have taken his time.

43' CLOSE! Remiro takes too long to clear the ball forward with Abraham sliding in to block it. It goes out to Dybala, but the Argentine cannot react quickly enough to divert it towards the goal.

41' Silva slaps the floor in frustration. He runs behind the Roma defence trying to get on the end of a long ball forward but cannot get there. Patricio rushes out to claim it.

39' On the left flank, Illarramendi lets the ball go through his legs with Rico rushing in behind him. His cross goes all the way to Gorsoabel who has his shot blocked by El Shaarawy.

37' Mourinho has won 14 of his 16 home matches in the Europa League (D1 L1), though the only two games he’s failed to win were against Spanish teams – Celta Vigo in May 2017 (1-1 with Man Utd) and Real Betis this season (1-2 defeat). His defensive plan has contained La Real so far.

35' Remiro collects a long ball forward from Mancini. Abraham sticks his thumb up, appreciating the attempt from the defender.

33' La Real have struggled to build attacking movements in the first 33 minutes. They have regularly lost the ball with loose passes in the midfield with Matic and Cristante doing well to intercept.

31' OVER! Dybala cuts inside from the right before curling a shot towards the bottom corner from outside the box. It looks to be heading on target before Pellegrini gets a touch on it, sending it over the bar.

30' Pellegrini whips a powerful cross into the box from around the halfway line. Cristante looks to flick it past Remiro, but the goalkeeper makes the save.

29' WIDE! La Real almost find an equaliser through an own goal. Kubo's ball into the box is dangerous, with Smalling sticking a leg out trying to clear it. However, he gets it all wrong, with the ball going off him and just wide of the post.

28' On the right flank, Gorosabel swings a cross past El Shaarawy who tries to block it. Zubeldia gets there but launches the ball well over the bar.

26' On the right, Dybala's free-kick hits the wall. He should have done better with players in the box waiting for a cross.

24' La Real are playing a risky game. Under pressure from Pellegrini, Remiro plays the ball straight to Dybala. The former Juventus man tries to poke it to Pellegrini, but it goes straight to the goalkeeper.

22' POST! Receiving the ball on the right, Kubo brushes off the challenge of Karsdorp before getting to the byline. He then crashes the post from a tight angle.

20' Dybala gets lucky on the ball. Trying to dribble out of the defence, he enters his own box before avoiding the challenge of Kubo.

18' Pellegrini's inswinging corner is knocked behind by Sorloth. The following corner is then cleared away by the head of the striker.

16' Illarramendi drives a free-kick from distance straight at Patricio. Both of La Real's chances so far have come through dead-ball situations.

14' La Real won just one of their six major European games against Italian teams (D2 L3), while Roma have won only two of their last 15 major European games against Spanish sides (D3 L10).

T. Abraham

Assist

13' Abraham is smart on the ball, pretending to go inside, he lets the ball go through his legs and towards the byline. In space, he flashes a cross from right to left with El Shaarawy there to score.

S. El Shaarawy

Goal

13' GOALLLL! WHAT A MOVE FROM ROMA! 1-0! El Shaarawy breaks the deadlock. Dybala rushes down the right flank with the ball before playing it into the path of Abraham. Fooling Zubeldia, he spins past him in the box before crossing to El Shaarawy who has a simple finish.

11' Illarramendi's deep free-kick drops into the middle of the box, but it is too far away from a La Real player. Patricio comes out to claim it.

9' Abraham and Dybala have not allowed La Real a moment's rest on the ball. They have pressed aggressively when the ball has been passed back to the defenders.

7' Silva dribbles with the ball before playing it to Sorloth. The striker then passes it towards Merino, but the midfielder slips, allowing Roma to regain possession.

5' El Shaarawy drives down the left wing before sliding a pass into the feet of Abraham. He tries to turn on the edge of the box but fails to keep control of the ball.

3' Cristante tries to chip a ball over the top of La Real's defence towards Dybala, but the ball goes out for a goal-kick.

1' An early interception from Smalling. Merino tries to thread a throughball to Sorloth who was running down the middle of the pitch, but the defender is there to poke it away.

1' La Real get this game under way. Sorloth with the first touch.

Roma and Real Sociedad have never previously faced in any European competition.

As for La Real, Alguacil makes three alterations to the team that drew with Cadiz in LaLiga. The defence remains the same with the first switch coming in the midfield. Illarramendi is positioned on the left of a trio in the middle of the pitch with Mendez on the bench. Sorloth and Silva are preferred ahead of Fernandez and Oyarzabal in the attack.

Roma make four changes to the team that beat Juventus in Serie A. The first comes at centre-back, with Roger Ibanez out through suspension. Llorente takes his place and starts against his former club. On the wings, Karsdorp and El Shaarawy come in for Zalewski and Spinazzola. In the attack, Abraham replaces Wijnaldum and will lead the line with Dybala dropping behind the striker.

REAL SOCIEDAD SUBS: Andoni Zubiaurre, Alex Sola, Ander Barrenetxea, Carlos Fernandez, Mikel Oyarzabal, Momo Cho, Aihen Munoz, Ander Guevara, Robert Navarro, Jon Pacheco, Benat Turrientes, Brais Mendez.

REAL SOCIEDAD (4-3-2-1): Alex Remiro; Andoni Gorosabel, Igor Zubeldia, Robin Le Normand, Diego Rico; Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, Asier Illarramendi; David Silva, Takefusa Kubo; Alexander Sorloth.

ROMA SUBS: Pietro Boer, Mile Svilar, Andrea Belotti, Zeki Celik, Mady Camara, Marash Kumbulla, Georginio Wijnaldum, Leonardo Spinazzola, Edoardo Bove, Nicola Zalewski, Cristian Volpato, Benjamin Tahirovic.

ROMA (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Diego Llorente; Rick Karsdorp, Bryan Cristante, Nemanja Matic, Stephan El Shaarawy; Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini; Tammy Abraham.

Real Sociedad pipped Manchester United to the top spot of Group E to avoid the knockout round play-offs. Collecting 12 points out of the 15 available, La Real won all their away games without conceding, reaching this stage of Europe’s second-tier tournament for the first time since 1989. The Spanish outfit will be going into this game looking to build momentum after a tough few weeks in LaLiga. Imanol Alguacil’s side have won just one of their last six games in the league, dropping behind Atletico Madrid and into fourth place.

Roma overcame Salzburg in the last round of the competition after producing a stunning performance in the second leg. Losing 1-0 in Austria, goals from Andrea Belotti and Paulo Dybala turned the tie in Roma’s favour at Stadio Olimpico. Jose Mourinho’s men will be confident that they can secure a positive result to take into the reverse leg. Roma have lost just two of their last 33 home matches in major European competition (winning 24, drawing seven), though both defeats were against Spanish teams.

Hello and welcome to the live commentary for the Europa League last-16 tie between Roma and Real Sociedad.

Roma v Real Sociedad Live Commentary, 2023/03/09

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