Roma 4-1 Feyenoord (agg: 4-2): Giallorossi win through in extra-time thriller

Substitute Paulo Dybala scored in the 89th minute before Roma added two more goals in extra time to see off Feyenoord in a gripping UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg.

Match in brief: Roma rampant in extra time

Stephan El Shaarawy after putting Roma ahead for the first time in the tie in the 101st minute Getty Images

Chasing a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, Roma applied greater pressure during the first half before the return fixture burst into life immediately after the break as Lorenzo Pellegrini touched a cross against the post from close range. Fourteen minutes later Leonardo Spinazzola's finish through a crowded penalty area brought the hosts level.

In an unpredictable rerun of the inaugural Europa Conference League final, substitutes always looked likely to play a huge impact – and so it proved when Igor Paixão put Feyenoord on course to progress with ten minutes of regular time to go. Nine minutes later, with immaculate timing at a moment of high drama, Paulo Dybala produced a clinical turn and finish to rescue Roma's European campaign.

Roger Ibañez hit the woodwork with a 97th-minute header but it was fellow Roma replacement Tammy Abraham who played a part in the two goals his side scored without reply in extra time. The English striker set up Stephan El Shaarawy to prod in before forcing Justin Bijlow to parry his shot back into the path of Pellegrini, who slotted in to give Roma breathing space.

Santiago Gimenez was shown a straight red card in the 120th minute as Feyenoord's fine run was brought to an end, their opponents coming through a gruelling test to set up a semi-final tie with Leverkusen.

Francesco Corda, match reporter

At the end of a beautiful and very tough match, the Giallorossi beat Feyenoord, who fought until the end but failed to fully avenge their defeat in Tirana in the 2022 Europa Conference League final. A wonderful contest at the Olimpico.

Roma coach José Mourinho watches a tie in which his substitutes made a telling impactAFP via Getty Images

Reaction 

José Mourinho, Roma coach: "The lads managed the game well against an excellent team – but we were the better team. I try to give joy to the fans and to make the boys grow. I'm sure the fans would have gone home happy for the team regardless of the result. We have limits, but this team is a family."

Lorenzo Pellegrini, Roma captain: "I have to say that the emotions started before the match. You know you have to to win for these people who give everything for us – and, consequently, we have to give everything for them."

Paulo Dybala, Roma forward: "When Feyenoord scored, I was a little scared – but we equalised and then won in extra time. We all want to win; the coach has an incredible mentality. The coach had told us the game would be like this. This team know what it means to win in Europe, the mentality is there. There are just a few games left and we hope to continue like this and take Roma to the final."

Arne Slot, Feyenoord coach: "I respect my team for playing with courage in this atmosphere. In the end, it wasn't enough because Dybala scored a fantastic goal. Dybala and Abraham were too much for us. Roma showed a lot of character by coming back like that. I thought it was quite amazing that we were still going in the final phase of extra time. I also had no idea that we were finished. Every Feyenoord player can be very proud of how we presented ourselves in Europe. We played very well on the ball, but that is not enough. It's about winning."

Orkun Kökçü, Feyenoord captain: "The disappointment is great because we were very close and therefore it hurts a lot. But I also learned from the defeat in Tirana that one must not give in to disappointment. So we have to turn the page and focus on the next game from tomorrow morning. We lost against a great team and therefore must be proud."

Igor Paixão's powerful header put Feyenoord within touching distance of the semi-finalsGetty Images

Key stats

• Roma have won ten of their last 12 home matches in all competitions, losing the other two.
• The Italian side have won seven of their last eight home matches in the Europa League knockout phase of the competition (D1).
• The Giallorossi have avoided defeat in all but one of their last 24 home European matches, winning 18.
• Dybala's goal prevented Roma from recording a fifth successive 1-1 draw against Dutch visitors.
• Feyenoord lost for only the second time in 27 matches in all competitions, winning 19.
• This defeat also ended the Dutch club's 11-match unbeaten away run (W8 D3).

Line-ups

Roma: Rui Patrício; Spinazzola, Mancini, Diego Llorente (Ibañez 72), Smalling (Çelik 78), Zalewski (Dybala 73); Pellegrini, Wijnaldum (El Shaarawy 21, Kumbulla 105), Matić, Cristante; Belotti (Abraham 72)

Feyenoord: Bijlow; Geertruida, Hancko, Trauner (Bullaude 105), Hartman (Lopez 105); Szymański (Pedersen 91), Wieffer (Dilrosun 105), Orkun Kokçu; Jahanbakhsh (Danilo Pereira 74), Gimenez, Idrissi (Paixão 64)