Albion’s Europa League campaign is over, but they bowed out with a tremendous performance against AS Roma.
Danny Welbeck gave the fans hope with a brilliant goal after 37 minutes – his first in Europe for six years – and Albion spent most of the evening on the front foot. Roma keeper Mile Svilar, as he had done a week earlier in Rome, made some big saves with his second-half effort to deny Simon Adingra the highlight of his personal showreel.
Ultimately, though, Albion has left themselves with too much to claw back from the 4-0 first leg defeat, but the standing ovation De Zerbi and his players got at the end was fully deserved and acknowledged not just their efforts on the night but throughout a memorable European adventure.
De Zerbi had asked the home crowd to bring the noise and they responded, creating a febrile atmosphere at kick-off.
Albion were on the front foot straight away. Tomamaso Baldanzi made a crucial clearance in the six-yard box to stop Jan Paul van Hecke from connecting with Pascal Gross’s free-kick and Albion fans made their feelings known when Gianluca Mancini appeared to go down with cramp after just eight minutes. Mancini was then booked for bringing down Julio Enciso 20 yards out - one of five Roma yellow cards in an intense first half.
Billy Gilmour volleyed over from a good position 15 yards out after a clearance dropped to him then Adam Lallana’s cute pass found Gross who drilled a low shot across the face of goal and just past the far post. Gilmour met another corner but his scuffed effort through a ruck of bodies was a yard wide as Albion pushed and probed.
It was Roma, though, who came closest to getting the goal that would have put the tie to bed in a frenetic opening quarter. Sardar Azmoun shot narrowly wide with his right foot from 20 yards after he capitalised on Simon Adingra’s loose pass. Azmoun had the ball in the net on 23 minutes, but his overhead kick was ruled out for a high foot on van Hecke and Roma coach Daniele De Rossi’s protest at the decision to the fourth official earned him a booking.
Albion were pushing and they finally broke through in the 37th minute with a brilliant finish by Welbeck. The striker took a return pass from Pervis Estupinan on the left-hand edge of the box and had time to line up a right-foot shot which arced beyond Mile Svilar and into the top right-hand corner. A wonderful finish.
Roma not surprisingly took every chance to slow things down and manage the game and as hia frustrations grew De Zerbi was cautioned when tempers briefly frayed in the technical areas.
Albion could have done without half-time given the momentum they had built up and De Zerbi soon made his first changes, bringing on Ansu Fati and Facundo Buonanotte. The Spaniard nearly scored within moments of his introduction with a swerving effort from the left-hand side of the box which Svilar punched clear. Welbeck headed wide from Estupinan’s cross but Azmoun nearly equalised just before the hour. Roma broke down the left and his drive struck the outside of the post.
Albion moved to a back three on the hour with Evan Ferguson replacing Lamptey and a second goal would have come after 62 minutes had Svilar not produced a brilliant reflex save from Adingra’s header after another telling delivery by Gross. That was probably the moment when Albion knew there would be no second-leg miracle.
They kept pushing. Van Hecke then had two opportunities in the space of a minute but frustratingly headed crosses by Gross and Welbeck over the bar before Svilar pushed away Igor’s low drive from outside the box and Adingra hooked the rebound over.
Roma defended doggedly and even deep into stoppage time Svilar produced another great save when the turned Fati's 25-yarder over at full stretch. There was a nice moment just before the final whistle when De Zerbi and De Rossi embraced on the touchline. Albion couldn't have done much more on the night but the first-leg deficit proved too big a hurdle.
The challenge now is to finish the Premier League season strongly and earn another chance to create more memorable moments among Europe’s elite next season.
Albion: Verbruggen, Lamptey (Ferguson 60), van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan (Igor 60), Gross, Gilmour, Adingra, Lallana (Buonanotte 52), Enciso (Fati 52), Welbeck.
Subs not used: Steele, McGill, Webster, Moder, Baleba, Veltman, Peupion, Baker-Boaitey.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Attendance: 30,380
Match report in association with SnickersUK.com