Lille Edges Roma 1-0 in Thrilling Europa League Match

Lille's historic win over Roma

Roma's penalty woes continue as Lille's Ozer saves three spot-kicks in a thrilling Europa League match. Lille secures a 1-0 win over Roma in the Europa League, thanks to Berke Ozer's incredible penalty saves.

The visitors took the lead just six minutes into the game, capitalizing on their first opportunity...

Roma suffered a stunning 1-0 defeat to Lille in their Europa League match at the Stadio Olimpico. Despite dominating the game, Roma were unable to find the back of the net, while Lille's efficiency proved to be the difference-maker.

The visitors took the lead just six minutes into the game, capitalizing on their first opportunity. Roma, on the other hand, had numerous chances to equalize but couldn't capitalize on them. The hosts' frustration was palpable in the final stages of the game when they were awarded a penalty but incredibly missed it not once, not twice, but three times.

A defensive lapse by Kostas Tsimikas led to a scoring opportunity for Union Saint-Gilloise. Felix Correia's pass was deflected into the penalty area, finding Hakon Arnar Haraldsson, who capitalized on the chance by shooting the ball past Mile Svilar from about eight yards out.

Bruno Genesio's team had a chance to extend their lead around the 30-minute mark. Osame Sahraoui combined well with Haraldsson, but ultimately dragged his shot wide of the post when he should have at least tested Svilar's reflexes.

The missed opportunity seemed to spark Roma into action. Just five minutes later, the hosts came agonizingly close to equalizing. A flurry of chances unfolded inside the penalty area, with Morocco international Neil El Aynaoui ultimately seeing his close-range shot dramatically cleared off the line by Lille's center-back Aissa Mandi.

Lille stun Roma 🔥#UEL pic.twitter.com/9lZScQgPx5

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) October 2, 2025

Olivier Giroud had a prime chance to double Lille's lead nine minutes after halftime, but Mile Svilar made a crucial save to deny the veteran striker's close-range effort.

The momentum shifted slightly in Roma's favor shortly after, with Evan Ferguson heading the ball narrowly wide of the post as the Italian side intensified their attack. However, just when it seemed like Roma's chances were slipping away, the referee awarded a penalty after VAR intervened, citing Aissa Mandi for handball in the box.

Artem Dovbyk stepped up to take the penalty for Roma, but his tame effort was saved by Lille goalkeeper Berke Ozer. However, due to Ozer's encroachment, the referee ordered the penalty to be retaken.

In a repeat of the first attempt, Dovbyk's second penalty was also saved by Ozer, prompting the referee to order a third attempt due to further encroachment by the goalkeeper. Matias Soule took responsibility for the third penalty, but in a stunning turn of events, he too was denied by Ozer, leaving the crowd in disbelief and the score still 1-0 in Lille's favor.

Lille manager Bruno Genesio will be pleased with his team's performance, especially after their loss to Lyon last weekend. Despite the match being far from perfect, Genesio's side showed resilience and secured a hard-fought win.

Roma manager Daniele De Rossi will have concerns after his team's underwhelming display at home. The hosts struggled to create clear chances and missed several opportunities in the final stages, leaving them to rue what could have been.

Key Highlights:

• Lille's clinical finish in the early stages proved decisive.

• Roma's inability to score despite dominating possession and creating chances.

• The hosts' penalty woes in the final stages, missing three opportunities from the spot.

Roma's loss means they will need to regroup and reassess their strategy to bounce back in the competition.