DUBAI: Matts Wieffer’s second-half volley helped Feyenoord beat Roma 1-0 in their Europa League first-leg quarterfinal match Thursday.Oussama Idrissi set up the goal in the 54th minute by breaking down the left before providing a precise cross for Wieffer in a victory that was a sweet revenge for the hosts.The game was a rematch of last year’s final in the inaugural edition of the third-tier Europa Conference League, which Roma won 1-0 for coach Jose Mourinho’s fifth European title.Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini wasted a golden opportunity two minutes before halftime, hitting the post of Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow’s goal from the penalty spot.Roma forward Paulo Dybala and Tammy Abraham both left the game because of injuries.Manchester United hosted six-time champion Sevilla in the quarterfinals later Thursday. Juventus faced Sporting and Leverkusen played Belgium newcomer Union Saint-Gilloise.EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUEWest Ham’s perfect record in the Europa Conference League came to an end with a 1-1 draw at Gent. They had 10 wins in the third-tier competition, including qualifying.Gent top scorer Hugo Cuypers salvaged the draw for the Belgian hosts, equalizing with his fifth goal in the competition this season 12 minutes into the second half.Danny Ings tapped in a cross from Jarrod Bowen that came after a quickly taken throw-in by Vladimir Coufal to give the visitors a lead in the first-half stoppage time. It was the 30-year-old forward’s first European goal.West Ham are still close to reaching a European semifinal for the second straight year after they were eliminated in the last four of the Europa League by the eventual winner Frankfurt last season.The Hammers have been waiting for a European trophy since the 1965 title in the European Cup Winners’ Cup.West Ham or Gent would meet Anderlecht or AZ Alkmaar in the final four. All other quarterfinals took place later Thursday.
Thursday, December 26, 2024