Europa League | Roma 3-2 Porto: Magnificent Dybala double is decisive | OneFootball

Paulo Dybala sends Roma into the Europa League last 16 with his fantastic brace in four minutes, seeing off 10-man FC Porto despite an acrobatic Samu strike.

The Giallorossi will now face either Lazio or Athletic Club Bilbao in the next phase, with the draw on Friday.

The tie was wide open following a controversial 1-1 first leg result, which saw Bryan Cristante sent off and therefore suspended here along with Alexis Saelemaekers. Artem Dovbyk was a late injury absentee, with Lucas Gourna-Douath and Anass Salah-Eddine not on the UEFA list, but Dybala returned from a knock and Mats Hummels was benched again. Porto missed Marko Grujic, Vasco Sousa and Martim Fernandes, but were unbeaten since new coach Martin Anselmi took over on January 27.

See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.

Lorenzo Pellegrini and Eldor Shomurodov headers were off target in the opening minutes, but Roma gifted the opening goal to Porto.

Mile Svilar’s misplaced pass out from the back to Leandro Paredes sparked the attack, the Pepê effort was charged down until the acrobatic Samu overhead kick from 10 yards.

Roma replied with Dybala completing a quick give and go with Shomurodov, keeping his cool to dink the finish past the goalkeeper off the outside of the left boot from six yards. It was La Joya’s first Europa League goal of this season.

Dybala took matters into his own hands and completed the turnaround within four minutes, this time combining with Manu Kone to break down the right and while everyone assumed he would go for the far post, he surprised the goalkeeper by firing into the near bottom corner with the left foot.

There was almost a third Roma goal moments later, as Dybala floated the free kick to the back post for Gianluca Mancini’s header, forcing a tough save, then Otavio twice stopped Evan N’Dicka bundling the rebound over the line.

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 20: Mile Svilar of AS Roma fails to make a save as Samu Omorodion of FC Porto scores his team’s first goal from a overhead kick during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between AS Roma and FC Porto at Stadio Olimpico on February 20, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Porto went down to 10 men straight after the restart, as Stephen Eustaquio was caught on camera punching Paredes on the chest in a reaction foul. Following the VAR On-Field Review, Paredes was booked and will be suspended, but Eustaquio was shown a straight red card for the clear intent of the gesture with a balled fist.

It should’ve been 3-1 for Roma moments later, but Shomurodov shinned it over from six yards when a scuffed Dybala finish bobbled into his path.

Shomurodov did have the ball in the net, but started his run slightly too early on the Dybala pass, while N’Dicka timed his clearance perfectly to stop Samu nodding in the Francisco Borges cross.

Even down to 10 men, Porto were dangerous when Samu surprised N’Dicka on a long Diogo Costa ball and hit the upright as he came sliding in.

Roma finally made the tie safe when Dybala floated a ball to send Angelino down the left, the pull-back met by substitute Niccolò Pisilli with the inside of the right boot from seven yards.

With the game practically over, substitute Devyne Rensch made a mess of trying to anticipate his striker on the ball rolled across from the right and prodded it into his own net.

Roma 3-2 Porto (4-3 agg)

Samu 27 (P), Dybala 35, 39 (R), Pisilli 83 (R), Rensch og 95 (P)

Sent off: Eustaquio 51 (P)

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