Dybala’s double powers Roma to Europa League round of 16
Roma beat Porto 3-2 to reach the Europa League round of 16
Roma: Paulo Dybala struck twice in four minutes as Roma beat Porto 3-2 to reach the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday.
Dybala returned from a knee injury sustained in the first-leg 1-1 draw a week ago in Portugal, and Roma advanced on a 4-3 aggregate score.
Porto went ahead thanks to Samu’s acrobatic volley over his shoulder to take a 2-1 aggregate lead but Dybala started the comeback with an equalizer in the 35th with a left-footed shot inside the far post. The second clinical finish came from inside the area to the near post.
Porto’s hopes were dented when Stephen Eustáquio was sent off after getting a red card only six minutes into the second half.
Substitute Niccolò Pisilli added the third before another substitute Devyne Rensch’s own goal in stoppage time.
Roma, the 2022 Conference League champion, will next play either Lazio or Bilbao.
The game between Anderlecht and Fenerbahce was briefly suspended due to crowd trouble in Brussels. The problems took place shortly after Youssef En-Nesyri scored for Fenerbahce in the fourth minute. The Turkish team had won the first leg 3-0. After a 2-2 draw, Fenerbahce advanced 5-2 on aggregate.
The match had been suspended for “security issues,” UEFA said. Riot police were deployed in the stands and play resumed after some 15 minutes.
Alkmaar advanced after a 2-2 draw with Galatasaray that saw the Dutch club reach the next round on a 6-3 aggregate score.
Alkmaar got goals from Seiya Maikuma and Denso Kasius before Victor Osimhen struck for the Istanbul club. Roland Sallai’s equalizer salvaged at least a draw on the night for the hosts.
Alkmaar is set to face either Manchester United or Tottenham next.
Romanian team FCSB beat PAOK 2-0 to progress on a 4-1 aggregate score.
Norway’s Bodø/Glimt scored twice in extra time to beat Dutch side Twente 5-2 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate. Three goals in stoppage time sent the match to extra time where goals from substitute Sondre Brunstad Fet (111th) and an own from Arno Verschueren (114th) confirmed the win. The Norwegian team is amid a winter break that will not end until the start of the domestic league on March 29.
Luka Sucic’s first-half double led Real Sociedad to a 5-2 victory over 10-man Midtjylland and to the round of 16 on a 7-3 aggregate score to next play either Tottenham or Manchester United.
Viktoria Plzen overcame a 1-0 deficit from the first leg to beat Ferencvaros 3-0.
Ajax’s 2-0 advantage against Saint-Gilloise was erased in the first half as the Dutch powerhouse was reduced to 10 with Davy Klaassen sent off. Substitute Kenneth Taylor converted a spot kick three minutes into extra time for Ajax to advance.
The eight winners of the playoffs will be unseeded teams in Friday’s draw and will host the first-leg games on March 6.
The top eight in the 36-team league standings — Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Tottenham, Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiacos and Rangers — had made straight the round of 16. They will host second legs on March 13.
