The Guardian (USA)

European football roundup: Roma humiliated 6-1 by Bodø/Glimt

- Guardian sport

For the first time in his career, José Mourinho watched one of his sides concede six goals as Roma were embarrasse­d by Bodø/Glimt, losing 6-1 in the Europa Conference League.

Erik Botheim fired the Norwegian champions in front after just eight minutes, and midfielder Patrick Berg quickly made it 2-0 with a fine strike from the edge of the area. Carles Pérez pulled one back before half-time at the Aspmyra Stadium, which lies just inside the Arctic Circle.

Mourinho made three changes at half-time but Botheim struck again to make it 3-1. Worse was to come as Ola Solbakken raced in behind the Roma defence to score the hosts’ fourth in the 71st minute. Nine minutes later Bodø/

Glimt were 6-1 up, Amahl Pellegrino slotting home before Solbakken got his second.

“I’m the one who decided to play with the team we use tonight, so it’s my responsibi­lity,” Mourinho told Sky Italia. “Tonight we lost against a team with more quality, it’s as simple as that.”

The Roma manager could not resist deflecting some blame on to his second-string team, however. “If I could use the same players every match I would,” he added. “I expected better, but it’s my responsibi­lity. The good thing is that no one will keep asking me why the same players keep playing.

“Every defeat leaves scars. I already spoke frankly and honestly to the players,” Mourinho continued. At the final whistle, Roma’s players went over to apologise to the 400 away fans who had travelled to northern Norway, and were greeted with jeers and whistles.

Elsewhere, Napoli kept alive their hopes of advancing from Group C after Lorenzo Insigne, Victor Osimhen and Matteo Politano secured a 3-0 home win over Legia Warsaw. Legia stayed top with six points from three games while Napoli and Leicester City, who enjoyed a rollercoas­ter 4-3 win at Spar

tak Moscow on Wednesday, have four each. Fourth-placed Spartak have three points.

Lyon maintained their perfect start in Group A as they overturned a twogoal deficit for a 4-3 win at Sparta Prague, who took a 2-0 lead thanks to a first-half brace from Lukas Haraslin. Lyon hit back as Karl Toko Ekambi scored twice while Houssem Aouar and Lucas Paqueta added one each before Ladislav Krejci pulled one back in stoppage time.

In Group D, Eintracht Frankfurt leapt into pole position on seven points, one ahead of Olympiakos after a 3-1 home win over the Greek side. Both teams are well-placed to progress as third-placed Fenerbahce have two points and Royal Antwerp one after their 2-2 draw, Fenerbahce’s Enner Valencia scoring twice and missing a penalty.

Feyenoord cemented their position at the top of Group E with a 3-1 win over

Union Berlin, with former Brighton winger Alireza Jahanbakhs­h opening the scoring. PAOK leapfrogge­d Copenhagen at the top of Group F with a 2-1 victory in the Danish capital.

In the Europa League, Real Betis and Bayer Leverkusen drew 1-1 in Seville to both move four points clear of Celtic in Group G. Robert Andrich equalised late on after Borja Iglesias had put the hosts in front from the penalty spot.

Lazio and Marseille played out a lively goalless draw in Group E, while Braga boosted their qualificat­ion hopes with a 1-0 win at Ludogorets.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States