The first-ever competitive meeting between AS Roma and HJK Helsinki ended with the Giallorossi sealing a convincing 3-0 win over their ten-man visitors in the UEFA Europa League. It extends their home streak in European competitions to 20 undefeated games – the longest home run of any team in the continent.In only their second-ever head-to-head meeting with a Finnish side, having previously eliminated Ilves Tampere from the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1991/92, Roma got off to an optimistic start against HJK, who went man down within the first quarter-hour following a cynical challenge on Andrea Belotti by last defender Miro Tenho. Despite the early setback, it was the visitors who soon mustered the first real opportunity via Arttu Hoskonen’s superb header from a lofted pass that crashed the right post on its way out.A look at the holographic logo 👇🎥 @OfficialASRoma pic.twitter.com/gFDQuNfYuD— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) September 15, 2022 With one eye on their weekend clash against Serie A high flyers Atalanta, the Europa Conference League holders then upped the ante in search of the opener. Lorenzo Pellegrini, Nicolo Zaniolò and Belotti all had amazing chances in the final third as the halftime whistle approached, but the lack of clinical finishing was once more their undoing.Those spurned chances would be forgotten within four minutes of the restart, as José Mourinho’s outfit cruised to a 2-0 lead, with Paulo Dybala’s introduction at halftime being pivotal. The playmaker drew first blood with a fantastic first-time finish, following some exquisite team play, before Pellegrini made the most of a defensive mishap and lodged in his side’s second. Long awaited, Belotti scored his first Roma goal in five appearances as the final quarter-hour approached, with the ex-Torino marksman latching onto Zaniolo’s pass and tapping home the third to all but kill Helsinki’s spirits.José Mourinho subs on Paulo Dybala and he takes only 67 seconds to score the opener for Roma.Instant impact.pic.twitter.com/9XV5o11qph— IM (@Iconic_Mourinho) September 15, 2022 🗣️𝐆⚽𝐋 𝐃𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀‼️👤 Lorenzo Pellegrini ⏱️49’🇮🇹 Roma 2️⃣🆚0️⃣ HJK Helsinki 🇫🇮#EuropaLeague 🏆 #UEL pic.twitter.com/RB0sQkrA8W— El Forastero (@ElForadeportivo) September 15, 2022 Belotti’s first goal for Roma😍pic.twitter.com/woiBWriYkv— IM (@Iconic_Mourinho) September 15, 2022 HJK’s only previous UEL participation in 2014/15 saw them lose all three of their away matches while conceding twice in each game. Having lost 2-0 to Real Betis in their last group match, that trend does not seem like it will end anytime soon for Toni Koskela’s men. Meanwhile, the Special One ended his two-game losing streak in Europe’s second-tier competition with ease.The other match of group C was played in Seville where Real Betis Balompié earned a 3-2 win over a spirited PFC Ludogorets Razgrad to continue Los Verdiblancos’ perfect start to their Europa League campaign. Despite victory, Manuel Pellegrini’s side conceded their first home goal of the season.Luiz Henrique scores his first Real Betis and Europa League goal!!! 🇧🇷21 years old!!pic.twitter.com/7kharMiGNZ— Football Report 🕊☮️🌍🌎🌏 #BerhalterOut (@FootballReprt) September 15, 2022 🗣️𝐆⚽𝐋 𝐃𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐒‼️👤 Joaquín ⏱️40’🇪🇸 Betis 2️⃣🆚0️⃣ Ludogorets 🇧🇬#EuropaLeague 🏆 #UELpic.twitter.com/PN7vEHIzs3— El Forastero (@ElForadeportivo) September 15, 2022 🗣️ 𝐆⚽𝐋 𝐃𝐄 𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐎𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒‼️👤 Kiril Despodov ⏱️45+1’🇪🇸 Betis 2️⃣🆚1️⃣ Ludogorets 🇧🇬#Europaleague 🏆 #UELpic.twitter.com/761vrMTm0x— El Forastero (@ElForadeportivo) September 15, 2022 🗣️𝐆⚽𝐋 𝐃𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐒‼️👤 Sergio Canales ⏱️59’🇪🇸 Betis 3️⃣🆚1️⃣ Ludogorets 🇧🇬#EuropaLeague 🏆 #UELpic.twitter.com/521buAyHoP— El Forastero (@ElForadeportivo) September 15, 2022 UEFA EUROPA LEAGUEThursdaySociedad – Omonia 2-1 (1-0)/Guevara 30, Sorloth 82 – Bruno 72/Sheriff Tiraspol – Man.Utd. 0-2 (0-2)/Sancho 17, Ronaldo 39 pen/Feyenoord – Sturm 6-0 (4-0)/Jahanbakhsh 9, 41, Hancko 31, Danilo 34, Gimenez 66, Idrissi 78/Midtjylland – Lazio 5-1 (2-0)/Paulinho 26, Kaba 30, Evander 52 pen, Isaksen 67, Sviatchenko 72 – Milinkovic-Savic 57/Olympiakos – Freiburg 0-3 (0-2)/Hofler 5, Gregoritsch 25, 53/Qarabag – Nantes 3-0 (0-0)/Owusu 60, Zoubir 65, Jankovic 72/Monaco – Ferencvaros 0-1 (0-0)/Vecsei 80/Trabzon – Crvena Zvezda 2-1 (1-0)/Hamsik 16, Trezeguet 68 – Nikolic 89/Bodo – Zurich 2-1 (0-0)/Selnaes 54 og. Vetlesen 58 – Avdijaj 81/Dynamo Kyiv – AEK Larnaca 0-1 (0-1)/Gyurcso 8/Rennes – Fenerbahce 2-2 (0-0)/Terrier 52, Majer 54 – Kahveci 60, Valencia 90+2 pen/Roma – Helsinki 3-0 (0-0)/Dybala 47, Pellegrini 49, Belotti 68/Betis – Ludogorets 3-2 (2-1)/Luiz Herique 25, Joaquin 39, Canales 59- Despodov 45+1, Rick 74/Braga – Union Berlin 1-0 (0-0)/Vitinha 77/St.Gilloise – Malmo 3-2 (1-1)/Burgess 17, Teuma 69, Boniface 71 – Ceesay 6, Thelin 57/***odds are subject to change©FlashScore
