Europa Conference League final: Roma 1-0 Feyenoord - Nicolo Zaniolo hits winner for Italians

2 years ago 22

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Roma's Nicolo Zaniolo scores against Feyenoord in the Europa Conference League final

Roma won their first major European trophy by beating Feyenoord in the inaugural Europa Conference League final in Tirana.

Jose Mourinho's first season in charge of the Italians ended with a trophy after Nicolo Zaniolo chested down Gianluca Mancini's lofted pass before beating goalkeeper Justin Bijlow with a clever flick.

Mourinho, who has won the Champions League, Europa League and the Uefa Cup, is the first manager to win all of Uefa's major European trophies.

The Portuguese was criticised after Roma were embarrassed 6-1 in Norway by Bodo/Glimt in the group stage last October.

But this win continued the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager's perfect record in European finals, having now overseen five wins in five finals.

Feyenoord, whose campaign started in the qualifying rounds back in July, were denied an equaliser when Rui Patricio tipped Tyrell Malacia's attempt on to the bar soon after Mancini inadvertently hit his own post while trying to make a clearance.

Smalling and Abraham play their part

There were incredible scenes at the final whistle as Mourinho was mobbed by his backroom staff and Roma's players celebrated in front of their travelling support in Albania.

This was Mourinho's first trophy since winning the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017.

Chris Smalling was part of the United side that defeated Ajax in Stockholm five years ago and the 32-year-old defender produced a man-of-the-match performance to help secure Roma a first trophy since 2008.

Smalling made a couple of crucial blocks in the early stages of the second half when Feyenoord were at their best, while he did a fine job keeping Cyriel Dessers- the competition's leading scorer - quiet.

At the other end, Tammy Abraham thought he was clean through before being impeded by Marcos Senesi, who escaped without a booking.

Abraham has enjoyed a successful first season in Italy since joining from Chelsea for £34m last August.

He was unable to add to his season's tally of 27 goals but he finishes the campaign with a trophy and a place back in Gareth Southgate's England squad.

Club	Season	Competition
Porto	2002-03	Uefa Cup
Porto	2003-04	Champions League
Inter Milan	2009-10	Champions League
Manchester United	2016-17	Europa League
Roma	2021-22	Europa Conference League

Line-ups

Roma

Formation 3-4-1-2

1Rui PatrícioBooked at 84mins
23Mancini
6Smalling
3Ibañez da Silva
2KarsdorpSubstituted forViñaat 89'minutes
77MkhitaryanSubstituted forOliveiraat 17'minutes
4Cristante
59ZalewskiBooked at 66minsSubstituted forSpinazzolaat 67'minutesBooked at 90mins
7PellegriniBooked at 37mins
22ZanioloSubstituted forVeretoutat 67'minutes
9AbrahamSubstituted forShomurodovat 89'minutes

Substitutes

5Viña
11Pérez
14Shomurodov
15Maitland-Niles
17Veretout
24Kumbulla
27Oliveira
37Spinazzola
52Bove
64Afena-Gyan
87Cerântula Fuzato
92El Shaarawy

Feyenoord

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Bijlow
3Geertruida
18TraunerBooked at 25minsSubstituted forPedersenat 74'minutes
4Senesi
5MalaciaSubstituted forJahanbakhshat 89'minutes
17Aursnes
10KökçüSubstituted forWålemarkat 88'minutes
14NelsonSubstituted forLinssenat 74'minutes
26TilSubstituted forToornstraat 59'minutes
7Sinisterra
33Dessers

Substitutes

2Pedersen
6Hendrix
9Jahanbakhsh
11Linssen
13Sandler
16Cojocaru
21Marciano
23Wålemark
25Hendriks
28Toornstra
30Jansen
32Hall

Referee:István Kovács

Attendance:19,597

Live Text

Match ends, Roma 1, Feyenoord 0.
Second Half ends, Roma 1, Feyenoord 0.
Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma) is shown the yellow card.
Jens Toornstra (Feyenoord) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma).
Patrik Wålemark (Feyenoord) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma).
Lutsharel Geertruida (Feyenoord) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma).
Foul by Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord).
Sérgio Oliveira (Roma) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Roma. Eldor Shomurodov replaces Tammy Abraham.
Substitution, Feyenoord. Alireza Jahanbakhsh replaces Tyrell Malacia.
Substitution, Roma. Matias Viña replaces Rick Karsdorp.
Substitution, Feyenoord. Patrik Wålemark replaces Orkun Kökçü.
Foul by Marcos Senesi (Feyenoord).
Tammy Abraham (Roma) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jordan Veretout.
Rui Patrício (Roma) is shown the yellow card.
Attempt saved. Luis Sinisterra (Feyenoord) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Cyriel Dessers.