💫 Europa League: Leverkusen beat Roma, Marseille and Atalanta draw | OneFootball

The week of European semi-finals continues on Thursday, with four sides battling it out for a spot in the Europa League final.

Here’s how it all went down.

Roma face mountain to climb in Germany

Roma were comfortably second best in Rome as Bundesliga champions swept them aside in the first leg.

Scorers: Wirtz 27′, Andrich 73′

It was the home side that had the first sight of goal, with Paulo Dybala testing Lukas Hradecky from range.

And both sides remained a serious threat as the Italians hit the woodwork, before Jeremie Frimpong fired into the side-netting for Leverkusen after being slipped in by Florian Wirtz.

A mistake handed Leverkusen the lead though, with defender Rick Karsdorp allowing Álex Grimaldo to square the ball for Florian Wirtz to slide the ball past the onrushing Mile Svilar and give his side the lead.

Roma were on the ropes. Frimpong fired wide as the Bundesliga champions threatened to add a second before half time.

After a tepid start to the second half, Leverkusen doubled their lead with 20 minutes left to play courtesy of a stunning effort from Robert Andrich, who crashed home a dipping drive from 25 yards out to hand his side the second goal that their performance deserved.

Roma could have halved the deficit through Sardar Azmoun, but the Iranian was denied by an excellent last-ditch challenge by Piero Hincapié.

They had a glorious chance to do so once more seconds from time, but Tammy Abraham headed over from two yards out, summing up a disappointing evening for I Giallorossi.

The loss was Roma’s first at home of the competition, and leaves them with a mountain to climb at the Bay Arena in a week’s time, while Leverkusen continue to stretch their astonishing unbeaten run, and remain on the hunt for a treble.

Marseille waste chances against Atalanta

In the second semi-final, Marseille and Atalanta locked horns in France, with the home side wasting several great chances to take a lead into the second leg.

Scorers: Mbemba 20′ : Scamacca 11′

Despite the noise in the Stade Velodrome, it was the visitors that got their noses in front courtesy of in-form striker Gianluca Scamacca, who drilled the ball into the bottom corner from 14 yards out to hand his side a surprise lead in Marseille.

An injury to Sead Kolasinac further compounded the French side’s misery, but they were on level terms before the midway point of the first half with an equally excellent strike, from an unlikely source as centre-back Chancel Mbemba fired home from the edge of the penalty area.

The French side will have felt that they should have headed into the break in the lead, but in-form striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired wide when well placed five minutes from the interval.

Marseille continued to have the better of proceedings heading into the second half, with Aubameyang firing at the goalkeeper when well placed, while Sarr thought that he had put his side in front only to be denied by the offside flag.

It was then the woodwork’s turn to deny Jean-Louis Gasset’s side, when substitute Azzedine Ounahi’s curling effort rattled the frame of the goal.

Atalanta, who struggled to get into the second half, looked to hold on for a draw, and take the tie back to Italy. Gasperini’s side managed just two shots in the second half, with only one on target.

But they held on, and ensured that they have the advantage heading into the second leg.