Roma survived in Helsinki and set up a final duel with Bulgarian Ludogorets in the last round of the Europa League group stage. After losing and then playing a draw with their main rivals Real Betis, Jose Mourinho’s men lost the possibility to finish at the first place and will host the Bulgarians next week in order to advance to the knockout stage. The Italians are ahead of Ludogorets only due to a better goal difference (one goal), since the Bulgarians lost tonight against Real. Mourinho needs a win in Rome in order to qualify, otherwise, he will step down to a Conference League, which he won last season. Ludogorets won the first game in Bulgaria 2-1.10 – Tammy #Abraham is the 6th #ASRoma player to score 10 goals in major European competition since 1/1/2000, along with Edin Dzeko (32), Francesco Totti (22), Daniele De Rossi (11), Mirko Vucinic (10) and Antonio Cassano (10). Club.#HelsinkiRoma #UEFAEuropaLeague pic.twitter.com/H37yBLe1dj— OptaPaolo 🏆 (@OptaPaolo) October 27, 2022 Roma was a big favorite against the dead last team in Group C, but as it was so often the case with this team in 2022, they won, but only just. A number of great chances in the first half led to only one goal, and the punishment came in the second half, before an own goal from an unexperienced (and unlucky) Finnish team secured three points for Murinho and co.TAMMY ABRAHAM WITH HIS FIRST EUROPA LEAGUE GOAL!!!pic.twitter.com/BfsGVvw5LO— Football Report 🕊☮️🌍🌎🌏 #BerhalterOut (@FootballReprt) October 27, 2022 The Italians started strong and created a number of good chances in the first half. The scored the first time in the 29th minute, but VAR nullified Bryan Cristante’s header due to offside. But Helsinki players didn’t mark Roma’s biggest player Tammy Abraham after a free kick by Pellegrini and the Englishman scored the opening goal in the 41st minute. In the second half, totally different story. For an unknown reason, Roma didn’t pressure and attack as much and Perparim Hetemaj punished the Italians with the equalizer in the 54th minute. But they shot themselves in the foot just minutes later, when Arttu Hoskonen changed the path of the ball sent by Stephan El Shaarawy and sent it to his own net for another Roma lead. After Roma’s nullified goal in the first half, it was the time for Helsinki’s goal in the second half. Corner was cleared as far as 25-30 meters out, and Browne hit an absolute rocket. Abraham tried to intercept it, but just ended up kicking it into the top corner. But, luck was on the Italian side, since VAR overturned the equalizer and Abubakari booked for the foul on Cristante prior to the goal. Helsinki tried to equalize until the end of the match, but failed and will remain with only one point in the group. Mourinho and Roma now have the destiny in their own hands. EUROPA LEAGUEGroup stage – Round 5ThursdayAEK Larnaca – Dynamo Kyiv 3-3 (1-1)/Altman 26, 72, Lopes 53 – Vanat 45, Garmash 82, 90+1/Union Berlin – Braga 1-0 (0-0)/Knoche 68(p)/Malmo – St.Gilloise 0-2 (0-2)/Teuma 10, Amani 42/Fenerbahce – Rennes 3-3 (1-3)/Valencia 42, Zajc 82, Mor 88 – Gouiri 5, 30, Terrier 16/Ludogorets – Betis 0-1 (0-0)/Fekir 56/Zurich – Bodo 2-1 (0-1)/Borijanijasevic 67, Marchesano 90+4 – Pellegrino 45/Lazio – Midtjylland 2-1 (1-1)/Milinkovic-Savic 36, Pedro 58 – Isaksen 8/PSV – Arsenal 2-1 (0-0)/Veerman 55, De Jong 63/Helsinki – Roma 1-2 (0-1)/Hetemaj 54 – Abraham 41, Hoskonen 62/Omonia – Real Sociedad 0-2 (0-1)/Navarro 45+2, Mendez 60/Sturm – Feyenoord 1-0 (0-0)/Kiteishvili 90+3/Freiburg – Olympiakos 1-1 (0-1)/Kubler 90+3 – El Arabi 17/Nantes – Qarabag 2-1 (1-0)/Blas 16, Ganago 90+4 – Ozobic 56 pen/Crvena Zvezda – Trabzon 2-1Man Utd – Sheriff 3-0 (1-0)/Dalot 44, Rashford 65, Cristiano 81/Ferencvaros – Monaco 1-1 (0-1)/Zachariassen 81 – Ben Yedder 31/
