Eintracht through to last 16 | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt were beaten 2-0 at AS Roma on Thursday evening but clinched a place in the round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League.

Angelino’s close-range effort shortly before the interval gave the Serie A side a narrow lead, before Eldor Shomurodov completed the scoring midway through the second half to secure a Europa League knockout round play-off spot for Claudio Ranieri’s team. The result was not enough to deny the Eagles a top-eight finish, though, as the visitors sealed a direct passage through to the last 16.

Three changes for Eintracht

Dino Toppmöller made three changes to the Eagles side that started Sunday’s 2-2 draw with TSG Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. Tuta, Jean-Mattéo Bahoya and Farès Chaibi were brought in, replacing Nnamdi Collins, Mario Götze and Can Uzun. January signing Elye Wahi – like his new team-mates Nathaniel Brown and Oscar Højlund – was unavailable in the Italian capital but could have a big role to play in the knockout stages of the competition.

Hosts edge first half

Roma had the better of the early openings at the Stadio Olimpico. Alexis Saelemaekers’ cross was headed over the bar by Angelino, before Artem Dovbyk sent a first-time effort off target from Angelino’s cutback. Eintracht’s best opportunity of the first half fell to Hugo Larsson, whose firm header from Bahoya’s cross was tipped over acrobatically by Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar.

The Eagles survived a scare eight minutes before the break when Gianluca Mancini headed against the post, and Mats Hummels sent another header straight at Kevin Trapp as Roma piled on the pressure towards the end of the half. The visitors’ resistance was finally broken on the stroke of half-time, when Angelino steered a low shot off the unfortunate Tuta and into the back of the net from the tightest of angles.

Eagles undone

Eintracht made a brighter start to the second period but continued to find clear-cut openings hard to come by. Toppmöller made a triple change midway through the half in an attempt to get his side back on level terms, bringing on Uzun, Mo Dahoud, and Niels Nkounkou. Just three minutes later, however, Roma had doubled their advantage as Shomurodov beat Tuta to Matias Soule’s long ball before steering a shot beyond the onrushing Trapp and into the left corner.

There was no way back for Eintracht, who finish the 36-team league phase in fifth place. Thursday’s game will live long in the memory of one young Eagles player in particular, after 16-year-old Ebu Bekir Is replaced Chaibi in the 84th minute for his senior debut. With Toppmöller’s charges safely through to the last 16, the teenager may well have further opportunities to impress in the latter stages.