Under the glare of the Olimpico lights and before a crowd of more than 62, 000, roma saw a roller-coaster tie end in heartbreak: a 3-3 draw after 90 minutes that turned into a 4-3 defeat in extra time when Nicolò Cambiaghi found the decisive angle from a Dallinga assist.
How did the match unfold and what decided the outcome?
The return leg unfolded as a frenetic derby between two teams matching intensity with invention. Bologna struck first through Rowe after a counter that spared no mercy, and roma answered when Ndicka rose at a Pellegrini corner to head level. A late first-half penalty converted by Bernardeschi put the visitors back ahead, and the second half saw Santiago Castro extend Bologna’s advantage after a turnover and quick transition.
Resilience from the hosts produced a response: Donyell Malen reduced the deficit from the spot and Lorenzo Pellegrini restored parity with a left-footed finish from distance that sent the Olimpico into joyful uproar. With the score 3-3 after 90 minutes the match went into extra time. The tie’s final swing came deep in the second period when Dallinga’s pass set up Cambiaghi, who at close to the 112th minute produced a precise strike that beat the goalkeeper and proved decisive, sealing a 4-3 win for Bologna.
Who were the key figures on the pitch?
Cambiaghi and Dallinga combined for the match-winning moment, while Pellegrini, Malen and Ndicka were instrumental in roma’s fightback during normal time. Castro and Rowe were central to Bologna’s openings and transitions. The match also featured contentious moments: the hosts pressed for a penalty late in extra time for a perceived contact between Lucumi and Vaz, but play continued and the result stood, condemning the home side.
What does this result mean for both teams?
Bologna advance to the Europa League quarterfinals and will face Aston Villa next, closing their chapter at the Olimpico with a victory that rewarded disciplined defending, opportunism and effective use of counterattacks. For roma, elimination in this round marks another early exit from European competition; the night will be remembered for both the spirited comebacks and the ultimate concession deep into extra time. Tactical moves shaped the contest: substitutions and instructions altered rhythms, with managers making reactive changes as space tightened and the tempo climbed.
The match sheet underlines the intensity of selection and rotation in modern cup ties. Players listed among roma’s available options included defenders, midfielders and forwards such as Rensch, Ndicka, Tsimikas, Cristante, Pellegrini, El Aynaoui and attackers like Malen and El Shaarawy, reflecting the depth called upon across 120 minutes. The atmosphere, the tactical variations and the succession of goals turned the Olimpico into a stadium-sized chessboard where one precise strike made the ultimate difference.
Back in the stands where the night began with hope, supporters left with mixed emotions: admiration for moments of individual brilliance and the ache of a tie decided in the final stages of extra time. The image of Cambiaghi running toward the visitors’ bench after his decisive finish will last, as will the unanswered appeals from the hosts in the dying minutes. Bologna move on; roma must regroup from a dramatic defeat and consider how narrow margins in knockout football can define a season.
