AS Roma ended Midtjylland’s flawless Europa League league-phase record with a 2-1 win at the Stadio Olimpico, grinding out a vital result to steady their own campaign.
Neil El Aynaoui struck early with a superb guided volley, giving Roma control through a dominant first half in which Lorenzo Pellegrini went close to adding a second.
Midtjylland, the most accurate attacking side in the opening rounds, failed to trouble Mile Svilar for long spells and saw their unbeaten run slip into danger as Roma pushed on.
Matias Soule, Paulo Dybala and Stephan El Shaarawy all forced saves, but the hosts couldn’t kill the contest until El Shaarawy finished off a late counterattack.
Paulinho’s reply moments later brought tension back to the Olimpico, yet Roma held firm to secure a third straight competitive win and cut the gap to the Danish leaders, whose best-ever European winning streak came to an end.
