Roma 2-1 Ajax: Pellegrini And Ibanez Score Goals

JAKARTA - AS Roma erased bad memories at Ajax. Against The Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals on Friday morning, Roma was able to bounce back from a setback.

As reported by Antara, The hosts opened the scoring in the 39th minute when Davy Klaassen snatched possession near the Roma penalty box.

While the Roma players were busy requesting a free-kick that referee Sergei Karasev ignored, Klaassen collaborated on one-two passes with Dusan Tadic before ending it with a flick into Pau Lopez's goal.

Ajax had a chance to double the lead in the 53rd minute, but Tadic unleashed a poor penalty into the centre of the net where Lopez did not move much except to stop the ball.

The failure paid off handsomely because four minutes later goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen failed to anticipate the execution of Lorenzo Pellegrini's free-kick which was not too dangerous, but lodged into the net after hitting the hip of the young Dutch goalkeeper.

In the 73rd minute, Lopez made another brilliant save when he came out of his nest to block Antony Matheus' heel shot.

Then, three minutes before the break Roma completed their revival through a corner that ended with Roger Ibanez's powerful shot into the ajax net which sealed a 2–1 win for Gialorossi.

Not only did they avenge a similar defeat in 2002, but Roma also took home two away goals for the second leg to be played at the Olimpico on Thursday next week.