Roma-Athletic Club 2-1: Shomurodov gives the victory to the Giallorossi at the last second

Rome 6 March 2025 - There is nothing more beautiful than a victory in the last second and for the Rome it is exactly what materialized at the Olimpico against theAthletic Bilbao. Eldor Shomurodov decides the first leg of this round of 2 by scoring the 1-XNUMX goal in the last possible action which overturns the initial advantage ofAthletic Club of Bilbao. Inaki Williams he unlocks it on a corner kick at the start of the second half, then they think about it Angelino and the Uzbek striker gave the Capitoline team a one-goal advantage in the double challenge, while waiting for the away match in San Mames. 

First half

For the Olympic challenge Ranieri confirms its typical formation but relies on a couple of surprise protagonists. In front of Silker returns as owner Steel, with Mancini e N'Dicka to complete the department. Rensch wins the ballot on the right wing, while there is Angelino on the left, in the middle Crystalline e pisilli It's the median pair. dovbyk is the first tip, supported by Dybala e Baldanzi. On the other side of the barricade Valverde choose Agirrezabala between the posts, with the very experienced defensive line composed of From Marcos, Vivian, Yeray e Berchiche. Dictating the tempo in the middle are jauregize e Ruiz from Galarreta. Forward the lighthouse in the centre of the three-quarter line is Unai Gomez, with the two brothers Williams on the lanes to give imagination, up front there is a surprise Sannadi.

The match is very physical from the first moments: many contacts, many individual duels and several fouls called from the first moments. However, the match does not take off from an emotional point of view, the challenge is blocked in midfield, with both goalkeepers paid spectators of the match. Between the two teams, however, the first to take territorial dominance isAthletic Bilbao. The Rome mainly keeps the ball, but often plays it in their own half of the pitch, with some sporadic forays into the final metres of the Basques. On the other side, however, the team fielded by Valverde, trying to leverage Sannadi's imposing physique up front.

However, the game does not seem to be unblocked. Rome he has a couple of excellent deafening shots in the opponent's half, thanks to the imagination and quality of Dybala, on the other hand the two brothers do not light up Williams. At 19' comes the first yellow card of the match: cautioned Yeray for a foul against Rensch, also the Dutchman among the best Giallorossi of the first half. Two minutes after this warning also comes the first big chance for the home team. Delicious ball by Baldanzi deep: dovbyk It disorients very well Vivian, but he fails to conclude, because he slips at the moment of impact with the ball. He is saved byAthletic Club, while the Basque defender remains on the ground. A quick discussion with the doctors on the pitch and then the decision to interrupt his match early. Bilbao He uses his first substitution of the match already halfway through the first half: he comes on Aitor Paredes, who scored the equaliser in the first leg, still leaves the pitch Vivian. 

The balance between the two teams on the pitch does not change. Most of the game is fought in the middle, without one of the two teams managing to gain the upper hand. The Basques, however, show themselves a couple of times in the area of Silker, without putting the Belgian goalkeeper of Serbian origin in particular difficulty. In fact, no shot on target causes any concern to the Roma goalkeeper. On the other hand, a second and third yellow card arrives in the direction of the Basque players: they are jauregize e Sannadi to end up in the villains' notebook Schärer.

The first half seemed destined to end without any particular shocks, but towards the end of the half the Giallorossi gave a jolt, bringing the home team very close to the lead. Long throw for dovbyk, which together with Baldanzi manages possession well: central bank for the trailer of Dybala. La Joya shoots with confidence, but his left-footed shot hits the crossbar. On the other side, the guests react first with a header from Yeray, then with the right of Sannadi, both however wide on the right of Silker. A lively end to the half, however, did not unlock the match, with the first half ending 0-0. 

Second half

No changes at half-time, the two teams resume the match with the same protagonists who closed the first half of the match. The away team was decidedly better in the very first moments, and in fact managed to unlock the match at 50'. On the developments of a corner kick Paredes he does a great job of laying off the ball for the move to the far post Inaki Williams, who, lost by the defense, finds the goal wide open and scores the goal that gives the Basques the lead. At the Olimpico it is 0-1 in favor ofAthletic Club of Bilbao. Olimpico cooled by the excellent start of the recovery of the guests. Definitely alive instead the Rome, because two minutes later he finds a gigantic opportunity to equalise. dovbyk acts as a buffer for Dybala, the Joya wins a rebound and serves Baldanzi in the area. The former Empoli player is alone and free to shoot at goal. His left foot, however, is too loaded and powerful, the ball rises and ends up just over the crossbar. The player rightly despairs: a huge opportunity missed by him. 

The reaction of Roma was not an isolated occasion, on the contrary, the goal conceded was almost like a wake-up call for the Giallorossi. After the missed right-footed shot from the edge of the area by pisilli, the opportunity that is worth the draw also arrives. He breaks through again from the right Rome: ball into the penalty area, where the fastest is Angelino, who kicks powerfully and low, finding the back of the net. Unstoppable exultation for the Spaniard, one of the most in-form players of the Roma team and author of the temporary 1-1 in this match. 

Applause on the bench Ranieri, who persists with his carousel of substitutions, also trying with a couple of decidedly offensive choices to completely overturn the match. In fact, they enter Saelemaekers ed El Shaarawy, they leave the field instead Rensch e Baldanzi. The response of the Basques a few minutes later with the entries of Diaz e guruzeta, they leave the field jauregize e SannadiThe match finds a new balance, but the Basques are still a little more dangerous than the Giallorossi. Ranieri he then insists on fresh forces and changes the attack. They go out Dybala e dovbyk, they enter Soulé e Shomurodov, the latter cautioned within seconds of coming on.

The match enters its final ten minutes with the entries of vesga e Berenguer for the Basques, in the Rome come in instead Koné for pisilliThe match experiences a further twist at the end: with 5 minutes to go Yeray he is forced to show the yellow card to stop the restart of Shomurodov, it's the second for the Basque centre-back, who is forced to leave his team with ten men in this final part of the match. Immediately the Rome tries to take advantage of it, but the right of Saelemaekers is blocked by AgirrezabalaThe match seems to be flying towards a draw, but on the last possible occasion, he thinks about it Eldar Shomurodov to decide the match. Ball of Saelemaekers in the area for the Uzbek, stop and left footed shot on the turn, slow but precise which almost mockingly goes over Agirrezabala and sets the match at 2-1. Long VAR check, before the goal is validated, which coincides with the final whistle. A very precious success for the Rome, who will face the return match with a one-goal margin.