Leverkusen footballers with striker Adam Hložek lost the opening semi-final of the Europa League in Rome against AS 0:1. Another Italian outfit, Juventus, drew 1-1 at home to Sevilla after equalizing in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Rematches will take place in a week.
Twenty-year-old Hložek, whose teammate Patrik Schick will miss Bayer until the end of the season due to a groin injury, played 72 minutes. At the beginning of the match, he passed to Wirtz in the goal, but he narrowly missed in a promising position. The reigning champions of the European Conference League decided the victory in the 63rd minute when Bove arrived behind Hradec keeper Abraham’s shot.
AS Roma did not lose to Leverkusen at home even in the third cup match. Coach Mourinho’s men won after four games.
Sevilla took the lead in Turin in the 26th minute by the Moroccan striker Nasírí, who took advantage of Ocampos’ pass in the penalty area. The Andalusian side, who hold the record for the Europa League (formerly known as the UEFA Cup) with six triumphs, were heading for victory, but Gatti equalized in the seventh minute of the set-up. The “Old Lady” did not lose to Sevilla in the cups even for the third time.
The opening match of the semifinals of the football Europa League:
Juventus Turin – FC Sevilla 1:1 (0:1)
Goals: 90.+7 Gatti – 26. Nasirí. Referees: Siebert – Seidel, Foltyn – Dankert (video, all German). ŽK: Rabiot, Locatelli, Chiesa – Rakitič, Gil, Badé, Lamela.
Juventus: Szczesny – Danilo, Bonucci (61. Gatti), Sandro – Cuadrado, Miretti (46. Chiesa), Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostič (46. Iling-Junior) – Di María (70. Pogba) – Vlahovič (62. Milik ). Coach: Allegri.
Sevilla: Búnú – Navas, Badé, Gudelj, Acuňa – Fernando, Rakitic – Ocampos (34. Montiel), Torres (73. Papu Gómez), Gil (81. Lamela) – Nasírí. Coach: Mendilibar.
AS Rome – Bayer Leverkusen 1:0 (0:0)
Goal: 63. Bove. Referees: Oliver – Burt, Betts – Attwell (video, all English). ŽK: Mancini, Abraham, Ibanez, Spinazzola – Andrich, Diaby, Tah.
Rome: Patrício – Mancini, Cristante, Ibanez – Celik, Bove (76. Wijnaldum), Matic, Pellegrini, Spinazzola – Belotti (76. Dybala), Abraham. Coach: Mourinho.
Bayer: Hradecky – Kossounou (36. Bakker), Tapsoba, Tah – Frimpong, Palacios, Andrich (90.+2 Amiri), Hincapié – Diaby (72. Adli), Wirtz – Hložek (72. Azmún). Coach: Alonso.
