Feyenoord eye Europa League semis after beating Roma

Feyenoord took a step towards the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday with a 1-0 win over Roma in the first leg of the two teams’ last eight clash.

Netherlands midfielder Mats Wieffer gave Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord a slender lead to take to Rome with a sumptuous volley nine minutes after the break at Rotterdam’s De Kuip stadium.

The 23-year-old’s third goal of the season was just enough for the Dutch outfit to see off Roma in a rematch of last season’s Conference League final which was won by the Italians.

Wieffer was almost the villain of the piece after being penalised for handball and giving Roma a penalty just before the break which Lorenzo Pellegrini smashed off the post.

Jose Mourinho’s side can consider themselves unlucky not to have got something from the game as Roger Ibanez’s header was headed onto the bar in the 63rd minute by Oussama Idrissi, the man who set up Wieffer’s winner.

Roma, who sit third in Serie A, will have the chance to overturn the deficit when the teams meet again in the Italian capital next Thursday.

They might have to be without forwards Tammy Abraham and Paulo Dybala who were both substituted with injuries, a worry also for their fight for a place in next season’s Champions League.