Five European finals, five titles for Jose Mourinho, the first coach to win the new conference league, with a handy victory over Feyenoord (1-0) in Tirana, Albania. With well-calculated doses of efficacy, plenty of flexibility and even some sarcasm, had it not been for an Italian team led by Mourinho, Roma would have snatched the trophy from Feyenoord’s hands and celebrated. A goal, at the right moment, scored by Zaniolo, then a lot of fight, a lot of courage and Rui Patricio in the defense of the meager result that gave the title of 26th best Portuguese coach.
With 22,000 fans in the Tirana National Stadium and more than twice that number in the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Feyenoord entered the match better, with a high mass and a very strong pressure that caused a lot of problems for the Romanian defense that could not. Exit the game. The Dutch had more ball, but also found it difficult to find spaces in the final third, with Orkun Kokjo in the spotlight, organizing the match.
Jose Mourinho left Sergio Oliveira on the bench, but had to pick him up early, after Mkhitaryan, who was suspicious of this match, resented the injury he suffered in the semi-final against Leicester.
Roma closed well and tried to extend the match, trying to take advantage of the combined way the opponents were positioned on the field, but the truth is that long passes did not always go well with Roma. A game that quickly became boring, as there was a lot of fighting on the field, but no emotion near the goals.
Zaniolo scores and changes the game
Everything changed, suddenly, in the 32nd minute, when Mancini, with another long pass, sent Zaniolo into the area. The talented midfielder received the ball in his chest, left his two central defenders on his back, and when Bigelow left, he put the ball over him with the toe of his boot. it’s done. A goal that the Romans celebrated much, and that left the Dutch in a visibly shaken state. Roma began managing time and space better in the moments after the goal, making the opponent run behind the ball.
Feyenoord was only able to return to the match in the last moments of the first half, pressing both wings and putting a lot of balls in the area, but only Coxo, with an effective shot, managed to frighten Rui Patricio until the end of the first half.
It wasn’t hard to guess, but Feyenoord came back strong in the second half and, right after the opening, hit the bars twice. The first move was caused by a Sinisterra cross from the right, with Mancini trying to get ahead of Trauner, veering towards the post. On reloading, Till shot hard, but was blocked by Patricio. But the Portuguese goalkeeper’s best save was reserved for the next minute. Malacia bombarded the edge of the area, with Patrício hovering and deflecting the ball to the post.
Rome shook. It was impenetrable, as several players appeared behind the Roman front row. Mourinho realized the location of the defect and resolved it in two steps with the entry of Veretot, and Cristante returned to the “latch”, to form a triangle with the Frenchman and Sergio Oliveira, a little more advanced.
Feyenoord continued to get more ball, but now they play far from Patricio’s positions and it was Roma who had a sovereign opportunity to double the lead. A superb pass from Veritot and a shot from Pellegrini to save Bigelow well.
The truth is that the Romanian defence, with three defenders in the spotlight, never lost its grip and Mourinho was able to build the squad, adapt it to the problems Feyenoord was posing, and finish the second half in a much more relaxed fashion than it was. I started.
Thus Mourinho won The most important career endAs he classified it, without much brilliance, without great spectacle, but with much wisdom and wit. to Mourinho.
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