Conference League, Vitesse-Roma 0-1: Oliveira scores first and then is sent off

On the eve of Vitesse-Roma there were two objectives for Mourinho’s team: to win and not bring home injured players, given the very bad – to say the least – ground conditions at the Gelredome stadium in Arnhem. Both were hit: no one was hurt and Roma won 1-0 thanks to the goal at the end of the first half of Sergio Oliveira, then sent off with a quarter of an hour to go. Mourinho’s men, therefore, collect the first leg of the second round of the Conference League and mortgage the passage of the round even if on the return, in a week at the Olimpico, nothing will have to be taken for granted (and, in addition to Oliveira, Mancini will also be missing , disqualified).

Danger

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Especially because the Vitesse, in the first half, pushed by the public (everything ok in the 90 ‘for public order) manages to be dangerous. Letsch lines up the hosts with the 3-5-2 in which Openda and Grbic create several dangers for Rui Patricio, Mourinho responds by making more turnover than expected on the eve: outside Smalling and inside Ibanez, on the flanks there are Maitland and Vina, in the middle of the field with Mkhitaryan are Oliveira and Veretout. Vitesse got off to a better start, Rui Patricio’s super save at 8 minutes on Openda who slipped the two central players into speed, 14 ‘goal canceled by the Dutch for offside: Whittle’s assist, Grbic beats Rui but is clearly beyond the line. At 34 ‘the Portuguese goalkeeper falls asleep and sends the ball to Grbic’s feet, but Openda pulls the corner with the door wide open. Mancini swears and wakes up his teammates who have actually changed gear from that moment on.

Goal and red

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Before Zaniolo wins a corner on a combination with Mkhitaryan, on the next action Abraham kicks off by a whisker thanks to the deviation of Houwen (which the referee does not see, like many others, but there is no Var) and at 46 ‘arrives the decisive goal: shot by Vina, the ball reaches Zaniolo (100 in the Giallorossi tonight) who controls it and then passes it to Oliveira. The Portuguese in turn scores and puts Roma ahead at rest. In the second half Mou removes the two full-backs and Veretout and inserts Cristante, Karsdorp and El Shaarawy and Roma play much better. The goal of doubling does not arrive – the most dangerous opportunity is from Abraham on a mistake by Rasmussen -, Zaniolo comes out after an hour and seems not to like it too much, so much so that he goes directly to the locker room, Mancini on a delightful assist from Pellegrini heads up. the crossbar and Roma just have to check, even if in 10 for the two yellows in 10 ‘which cost Oliveira the expulsion. It ends with the thousand of the sector guests in celebration and Rui Patricio forced to “parry” some object arriving from the curve of the Vitesse fans.