UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
(Matchday 5)
THURSDAY 28TH NOVEMBER, 2024
8pm
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2(2) A.S. ROMA 2(1)

Spurs scorers:-
Son (pen), 5
Johnson, 33

Roma scorers:-
N'Dicka, 20
Hummels, 90+4

Attendance:- 53,378

Referee:- Glenn Nyberg SWE
Assistants:- Mahbod Beigi & Andreas Soderkvist SWE
Fourth official:- Adam Ladeback SWE
VAR:- Pol van Boekel NED
Assistant VAR:- Clay Ruperti NED

Teams:-
Spurs (4-2-1-3); 20. Forster; 23. Pedro Porro, 6. Dragusin, 33. Davies, 14. Gray; 29. Sarr (sub 8. Bissouma, 69), 30. Bentancur (sub 15. Bergvall, 77); 21. Kulusevski; 22. Johnson (sub 10. Maddison, 68), 19. Solanke, 7. Son (Capt.) (sub 16. Werner, 78)
(Armband to Maddison)

Subs not used:- 40. Austin, 41. Whiteman (GKs); 13. Udogie, 79. Hardy, 74. King; 64. Olusesi; 78. Williams-Barnett

Booked:- Kulusevski (unsporting conduct), Bentancur (foul on Saelemaekers)

Roma (3-4-3):- 99. Svilar; 23. Mancini (Capt.), 15. Hummels, 5. N'Dicka; 19. Celik (sub 59. Zalewski, 65), 16. Paredes, 17. Kone, 3. Angelino; 21. Dybala (sub 18. Soule, 46), 11. Dovbyk, 92. El Shaarawy (sub 56. Saelemaekers, 69)

Subs not used:- 89. Marin, 98. Ryan (GKs); 12. Abdulhamid; 4. Cristante, 7. Pelligrini, 28. Le Fee, 35. Baldanzi, 61. Pisilli, 66. Sangare

Booked:- Paredes (unsporting conduct)

Ranieri's Roma grab late equaliser

In an open and frantic game when both sides threatened to score almost every time they went forward, Spurs held their half-time lead until the first minute of added time when Mats Hummels (a Champions League finalist last season) scored at close range from Angelino's cross.

To be honest, the draw was not undeserved in a game either team might have won. Spurs hit the woodwork at least three times. Roma had "goals" chalked off for offside. Fraser Forster made an excellent late save, and generally played well, with one or two scary moments.

Spurs lacked composure, but at times were very skilful. They often frustrated with poor passing in or from their own half. They left too much space for the Roma wingmen in an effective 3-4-3 formation.

It's tight in the top half of this 36-team league and Spurs have slipped into 9th place. Ideally, they need to win in Glasgow against Rangers on December 12th. Rangers beat Nice 4-1 away last night and have climbed above us on goal difference.

I made a mistake in my original preview (now amended) and thought Yves Bissouma was suspended after two bookings in previous matches. He has to be booked three times and was on the bench. As expected, Rodrigo Bentancur started, as his FA suspension for a racial slur does not apply to this competition. Archie Gray took over at left back, and Kulusevski reverted to the central midfield role. Gray has played all across the back four, but I felt he was less comfortable defending in this position.

The match was preceded by a light show, Underworld's "Born Slippy" and the trumpet-led "Oh when the Spurs."

There was a full contingent of Roma fans, and a strong police presence around the ground. On a very cold night, Roma kicked off and played towards the south stand.

After only two minutes, Spurs were initially denied a penalty after Hummels upended Sarr in the box. This followed great work on the right by Kulusevski and a cross by Johnson. Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg turned down the appeals, but VAR called him to the monitor and the penalty was awarded. Son converted with a powerful right-footed shot to the left of keeper Svilar, who had committed himself to the right. That was just the start we wanted!

Roma almost responded immediately and after approach play from the left wing, Dybala fired wide across goal. Spurs had a great move after 14 minutes when Ben Davies hit a good long ball down the left side for Son. He crossed, but Kulusevski couldn't quite connect.

Forster did well to save at his near post after a cross, with Dybala threatening. Roma equalised after a free kick from the left taken by Dybala was met by an excellent header by centre-back N'Dicka which hit the net to the left of Forster. Roma soon had another goal chalked off after another cross from right to left and a neat chip over the top for El Shaarawy, who hit the net, but was adjudged to be offside by VAR.

Johnson had a shot cleared off the line by Angelino after which Svilar saved from Solanke. Forster had to get down to his left to save from former Juventus man Dybala.

There was a spat between Kulusevski and Paredes on the wing near the half-way line and both were booked. Sarr won a midfield ball and advanced before testing Svilar with a shot from outside the area. Sarr was denied again before Kulusevski cut the ball back from the left and Johnson scored with a great near post left foot connection.

Spurs should have gone 3-1 up after Kuliusevski collected an excellent pass by Davies before cutting inside and seeing his shot rebound off the bottom of the post. Son skied his follow-up. Svilar was busy, saving a right-footed shot by Son across his goal and also getting down to a shot by Pedro Porro after good work by Sarr. Kulusevski had another shot pass just the wrong side of the keeper's left post.

Spurs kicked off the second half. Ranieri had replaced Dybala with Soule. Spurs soon broke forward with a 4-2 man advantage. Solanke teed up Kulusevski, whose effort was blocked. Johnson blazed a shot over the bar. Solanke and Kulusevski combined and fed the ball to Son, but he was denied a shot.

Roma had the ball in the net again, but two of their players had clearly been offside. VAR came to our rescue again after Dovbyk hit the net, despite Forster getting a hand to the shot. This was a tricky spell for Spurs. Angelino (once of Man City and Leipzig) hit a powerful shot which was half-blocked by Pedro Porro. The shot skimmed the top of the bar.

Pedro Porro hit the top of Roma's bar direct from a free kick at the other end. Paredes prevented Johnson turning in a cross by Solanke from left of the box.

It was end to end football for most of the game. Kone fired wide after N'Dicka's cross from the left. Svilar saved from Solanke at the other end and after the corner, Pedro Porro lifted a shot over the target.

Both the Roma captain and coach remonstrated with the referee over an injury to Saelemaekers and I think this may have led to Bentancur's booking.

Solanke hit the bar when meeting Gray's cross. Dominic tried to re-connect, but Roma managed to clear. Svilar saved from Pedro Porro after the corner. At the other end there was a scare when Dovbyk might have scored from Pedro Porro's back-header, but Forster came to the rescue.

Werner had a shot held after Bissouma and Bergvall had brought the ball out of defence and Bergvall delivered a long pass. Another Kulusevski shot was easy for the keeper.

As we entered four minutes of added time, Forster made a brilliant save from Mancini, but Roma got their equaliser when Hummels met Angelino's cross following a corner.

To be honest, I had not anticipated such a performance by the Italian side who are languishing in the bottom half of Serie A, and despite this draw sit in 21st position in this league phase of the Europa League.

. Europa League Table and standings

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. Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
. Read the preview for this game.
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