Nigerian stars Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella were listed in Bayer Leverkusen’s matchday list for the big win against AS Roma in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal clash in Rome.
Despite benching Nigerian star Victor Boniface, Xabi Alonso tutored Bayer Leverkusen managed to secure a crucial 2-0 first-leg advantage over AS Roma thanks to goals from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich.
The breakthrough came just before the half-hour mark when Wirtz capitalized on a defensive error from AS Roma to put Bayer Leverkusen ahead.
Despite facing intense pressure from AS Roma, visiting Bayer Leverkusen held on to their lead until halftime.
In the second half, newly crowned German Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen extended their lead with a stunning long-range strike from Andrich in the 73rd minute, putting them firmly in control of the tie.
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While Boniface remained on the bench, his Super Eagles teammate Nathan Tella was brought on late in the game as Leverkusen aimed to secure the victory.
The win gives Leverkusen confidence heading into the second leg in Germany, while Roma faces an uphill battle to overturn the 2-0 deficit and reach the final.
Overall, Leverkusen’s strong performance puts them in a favorable position to advance to their first European final in over two decades, while Roma will need to improve their attacking and defensive play to stand a chance in the return fixture.
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