The 2023–24 Europa League semi-finals first leg ended with jubilation for fans whose team earned valuable points ahead of the second leg.
Bayer Leverkusen continued their charge towards winning the treble for the first time in club history with an away win against Serie A giant AS Roma.
The Bayer Leverkusen side defeated AS Roma 2-0 in the Europa League semi-finals first leg, with goals being scored by Florian Wirtz and Roberto Andrich.
The second Serie A team in the tournament, Atalanta United, was able to secure a draw away from home against Olympic Marseille.
Gianluca Scamacca scored in the 11th minute of the game before Chancel Mbemba got the equalizer in the 20th minute of the game.
1. AS Roma (0-2) Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen’s first attempt on goal came from in-form midfielder Granit Xhaka, who hit the ball from 35 yards in the 5th minute of the match.
Roma had their first attempt in the 11th minute of the game through Paulo Dybala. However, his attempt wasn’t powerful enough to beat the Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper, Matej Kovar.
AS Roma almost had a goal in the 21st minute of the match with a beautiful header from Romelu Lukaku. However, the header hit the Bayer Leverkusen goal post.
The new champions of the German Bundesliga went ahead in the 28th minute of the game with a beautiful goal from Wirtz.
Roma made a huge mistake at the back, and Leverkusen left back, Alex Grimaldo, squared the ball to Wirtz for the German to score.
Wirtz almost extended the Bayer Leverkusen lead in the 32nd minute of the game. His attempt was stopped by AS Roma goalkeeper Svilar.
Before the end of the first half, Bayer Leverkusen had another attempt on goal through Andrich, but his attempt was palmed away by AS Roma goalkeeper Svilar.
AS Roma grew into the game in the second half, with Dybala creating a chance for his teammates, who were unavailable to score a tap-in, in the 55th minute of the game.
Bayer Leverkusen extended their lead against AS Roma in the 73rd minute of the game. Leverkusen attacker Andrich scored a beautiful goal to put the German Champions in the driving seat ahead of the Europa League semi finals second leg.
2. Olympic Marseille (1-1) Atalanta
The Atalanta team, which had been the better team in the first ten minutes of the game, opened the scoreline through Gianluca Scamacca in the 11th minute of the game.
The striker received a good through ball and hit it aggressively into the net. The Olympic Marseille team found the equalizer in the 20th minute of the game.
It was a beautiful goal from the club attacker, Mbemba, whose shot went straight into the Atalanta goal post.
The Olympic Marseille striker, Aubameyang, made an attempt on goal, but it went over the bar. It was a poor attempt by the Gabonese, who had been the target man against the Serie A giant Atalanta.
Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman made an attempt on goal in the 63rd minute of the game, but it went over the goal post.
