Europa League: Lille goalkeeper Ozer saves three spot-kicks in win over Roma
Lille maintained their 100% to the Europa League campaign with a win against Roma, while Fenerbahce also got the better of Nice on Thursday.
Berke Ozer was the hero for Lille as the Ligue 1 side battled their way to a 1-0 win against Roma in the Europa League.
The Turkish goalkeeper kept out three penalty attempts, having seen his first two saves ruled out for encroachment, as the French club held on after Hakon Haraldsson's sixth-minute goal.
Kostas Tsimikas' mistake proved costly when he was dispossessed by Thomas Meunier, with Haraldsson making Roma pay as he lashed home.
Roma, who produced 2.2 expected goals from 20 shots to Lille’s 1.43, then had the opportunity to equalise from the penalty spot with just over 10 minutes to go after a handball from Aissa Mandi.
Artem Dovbyk was frustrated twice, but on both occasions, encroachment had occurred. Matias Soule stepped up to take the third attempt, but Lille's shot-stopper was again on top form, and had this time stayed on his line.
Fellow French team Nice could not match Lille’s victory as they fell to a 2-1 defeat away to Fenerbahce.
Kerem Akturkoglu was the star of the show as his two goals inside the opening 25 minutes secured all three points for Domenico Tedesco’s side, despite a converted penalty from Kevin Carlos for the visitors before half-time.
Fenerbahce, who lost their Europa League opener against Dinamo Zagreb, were not troubled in the second half, allowing just 0.05 xG from two shots.
Real Betis, meanwhile, built on their 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest with a 2-0 win over Ludogorets.
A first-half strike from Giovani Lo Celso and an own goal from Son after the break made the difference during a difficult away trip to Bulgaria.
Data Debrief: Lo Celso produces on the European stage again
Roma's defeat means they have lost their first home match of a UEFA Cup/Europa League campaign (excluding play-offs) for only the second time in their history, after the 1-2 defeat against Nuremberg in 1988-89.
Lo Celso, meanwhile, continues to step up in Isco's absence for Betis this season.
Since Lo Celso’s arrival in Europe in the 2018-19 season, Angel Di Maria (16) is the only Argentinian midfielder to score more often in European competition than the former Tottenham man (11).
