Roma succumb to late pressure against AZ Alkmaar

AZ Alkmaar secured three valuable points against AS Roma in the Europa League clash with a 1-0 victory.

The Dutch side got the only goal, the winner, ten minutes to regulation time through a well-worked move that had been coming.

Clasie spread the ball for Moller Wolfe, and Troy Parrott got there to sweep in from seven yards before Ro-Zangelo Daal.

This defeat means Roma’s Europa League hopes rest on the final game as Alkmaar have now leapfrogged them in the table. Going into this game, one point separated the two teams.

This has also halted the six games of unbeaten runs the Giallorossi were on.

Manu Koné blocked Sven Mijnans’ shot from close range, and Artem Dovbyk tested the goalkeeper with a snapshot from distance.

Evan N’Dicka got it all wrong on the Poku roll across from the left, which almost set Mexx Meerdink up for a goal, but he ballooned it over the bar from the edge of the area.

Roma had to substitute Dovbyk, already on a yellow card after repeatedly tussling with Wouter Goes, to avoid being a man down. Matias Soulè replaced him for the second half.

The visitors soon got a big chance as Paulo Dybala volleyed over after a classy Angelino ‘rabona’ cross from the left by-line.

Manu Koné’s effort charged down in the box, and Soulè also hit a fresh-air shot on the Angelino pass.

With a back-heel flick, Dybala set up Soulè again, but only the decisive Jordy Clasie interception curtailed the damage.

Mile Svilar easily saved Seiya Maikuma’s header, but AZ Alkmaar took the lead with a well-worked move.

Clasie released a pass down the flank for David Moller Wolfe, who rolled a cross from the left and substituted Parrott, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, who got there before teammate Daal swept in from six yards.

Roma tried to equalize after Soulé controlled well but flashed the angled drive across the face of the goal.

Dybala’s effort was straight at the goalkeeper with the last kick of the game as Roma left Netherlands empty-handed.