Match Thread: Roma U19 vs Man City U19 (UEFA Youth League)

###Intro

##UEFA Youth League Group E

Kick Off: 11:00AM GMT

Current Score:

Roma	0 - 4	Manchester City
		71' Celina, 76' Byrne, 81' Ambrose '92 Barker

As It Stands:

Clubs	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Manchester City FC	5	5	0	0	18	4	14	15
AS Roma	5	3	0	2	9	6	3	9
CSKA Moskva	5	1	0	4	6	12	-6	3
FC Bayern München	5	1	0	4	5	16	-11	3

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###Teams:

## AS Roma:

Name	Number	Events
Pop(GK)	12
Calabresi	4	58'
Capradossi	5
Paolelli	13
Marchizza	16
Pellegrini(C)	8
Vasco	10	Adamo '89
Di Mariano	11	Di Livio '70
Soleri	20	'81 D'Urso '77
Verde	7
Sanabria	9

Subs: Vasco, Di Mariano, Ciavattini, Ricozzi, Faiella, Soleri

Manager: Alberto De Rossi

## MCFC:

Name	Number	Events
Gunn(GK)	1
Tattum	2
Maffeo	3
Adarabioyo	4	54'
Smith-Brown	5
Bryan(C)	6
Dilrosun	17	Kongolo 60'
Byrne	10
Barker	11
Nemane	16	'85 Ambrose
Garcia	15	Celina 79'

Subs: Oliver, Albinson, Humphreys, Garcia, Nemane, Dilrosun, Buckley

Manager: Patrick Vieira

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##Streams

Looks like this may be on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pbb4d_JCtI

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###First Half:

0' - And we're off on a beautiful sunny morning in Rome as City win the toss and decide to start. Seems a bit unfair that Pellegrini is playing for Roma but who am I to argue?

3' - CHANCE! - Early chance for Ambrose as he makes a break down the right hand side but Celina didn't connect to the cross and the keeper eventually got his body on it. High paced start, both teams pressing and moving well though the pitch looks quite hard and the ball is bouncing around.

6' - CHANCE! - Another chance for City as they catch Roma on the break down the flanks. Barker makes a run down the left and unexpectedly pulls it back to Byrne who puts it over the bar from 15 yards. Should have hit the target really. Roma are playing deeper to stop the counter attacks but it is leaving a gap between their midfield and defence that could be exploited. Most of City's play has been direct countering so far, Roma struggling to get a handle on the game so far.

19' - CHANCE! - Huge chance for Roma as they pressure the City defence with quick passing then the goalkeeper Gunn makes a mistake and lays it at the feet of Di Livio. Took a little long on the ball and it was just wide. Roma have had a good 5 minutes here and are starting to build a head of steam.

26' - FK! - Celina drops to the right wing whilst Ambrose moves inside which has freed Di Livio to continuously make a nuisance of himself to City's right back, Maffeo. Di Livio cuts inside again from the left wing and City have no answer and he wins a free kick right on the edge of the box. Bit of a poor one from Roma, got over the wall but not far enough away from Gunn to trouble. The switch of Ambrose to a central role and Roma picking up Bryan who was spraying those direct balls from deep have changed the game. Vieira needs to work out how to solve a problem like Di Livio as he's dominant down his wing currently.

32' - CHANCE! - A poor City corner leads to an opportunity for Roma's quicker player to stretch their legs and attack quickly. Sanabria charges down the wing like a flash then feeds in Adamo for a one on one opportunity. Only a Herculean effort from Byrne to get back and a sliding tackle almost from behind at speed in the penalty area denied him the shot. Excellent counter and a brilliant tackle..

40' - CHANCE! - Unlucky for Roma as a wonderful "back to the defender, flick over the head" by Verde garners a decent penalty shout and Pellegrini hits the ball on a half volley just over the bar. Ambrose has switched back to the right now which has stopped the Marchizza-Di Livio double team but Bryan is still getting marked out of the game to make an effective contribution. Good half of football for Roma after a shaky start and their forwards are getting much more confident in possession.

45' - HALF TIME - It's half time in Rome as both teams go in goalless. An interesting first half of football, City started brightly due to Kean Bryan pulling all of the strings from a defensive midfield position but have struggled to create anything useful since he was marked tighter. When they have had possession in the final third it's one touch too many and not clinical enough when their chances are coming up. Roma grew into the half with great performances from Marchazzi, Di Livio and Calabresi. They effectively switched to a 3 at the back system with their midfielder patrolling that midfield area I pointed out early and their two full backs acting more as wing backs and overloading City down the wings. They're working harder than City at the moment in terms of pressing the ball when it isn't in their own half and we're struggling to cope with their high pressing and pacey game. City really need 5 minutes of keep ball and start playing more of the type of fast football that we're known for at this level. Roma should really be 2-0 up and would be if it wasn't for Gunn pulling off a couple of decent saves and the Roma lads going a bit Captain Cook. Good half of football for the neutral

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##Second Half

45' - Both teams stay the same as Roma get us going for the second half

45' - CHANCE! - Kongolo beats his man and feeds it to Barker who is unmarked on the penalty spot who doesn't connect properly and manages to side foot it harmlessly. A poor miss, if he hasn't got his head in his hands he should have.

47' - CHANCE! - It's all going on here as Sanabria cross to the unmarked Di Livio on the left hand side of the 18 yard box who shoots and forces yet another good save from Angus Gunn who holds it. Can't keep up with it!

51' - CHANCE! - A rough tackle by Bryan prompts a free kick on the edge of the area to Roma. A lovely fake by the players taking it catches the City players unaware and waiting for a cross that never comes. Verde bends one over the wall as Gunn is at full stretch to knock it over the bar. Another chance from the resulting corner as Gunn makes a point blank starfish save to deny Adamo (I think).

54' - Tosin Adarabioyo for what is a soft tackle on Di Livio just outside the area. City have been quite physical today and the ref has let it go a bit, so perhaps one more about the message than the act. Possibility he was booked for kicking the ball away

58' - Calabresi booked for a body check on Thierry Ambrose which was another soft one, seemingly given by the assistant rather than the ref. In a nice display of sportsmanship, Calabresi shakes the hand of the ref who just booked him. Good lad.

60' - SUB - Kongolo comes off for Dilrosun. City switch to a 4-4-2 with Barker on the right, Dilrosun on the left and Ambrose/Celina through the centre.

60' - Ambrose almost breaks the offside trap to force a one on one with the keeper and slot it home. His run was just a touch late though and the lad celebrates to nobody having not seen the flag. Unlucky for him, City getting back in the game a bit.

69' - CHANCE - Big chance for City as Barker beats Marchizza for pace down City's right and throws a dangerous ball into the box which an outstretched Ambrose is inches away from

71' - GOOOOOAALLLLLL - City finally break the deadlock here with a lovely bit of magic from Celina. A simple situation with his back to goal outside the 18 yard box is made troublesome by a touch to the side, a drop of the shoulder and a screamer into the top corner from 20 yards. 1-0 to City! Someone get me my Mini Cooper because we're robbing it in Rome!

72' - Verde is booked for Roma, possibly for dissent.

72' - SUB - Di Livio comes off for Di Mariano. Round of applause in Casa Devine, he's had a good game.

76' - GOOOOOAALLLLLL - Another one for the Blue Boys as Byrne smashes in another 20 yarder, hit low and hard. This is the Self Preservation Society! 2-0 City!

78' - SUB - Subs all round as Soleri comes on for D'Urso for Roma and Celina is replaced by Manu Garcia for City.

81' - GOOOOOAALLLLLL - Thierry Ambrose beats that offside trap that has frustrated him all day as Manu Garcia slots a slide rule pass through and he gratefull brings it home for the third of the day. 3-0 City!

82' - Solari is booked for Roma for a body check on Garcia.

85' - SUB - Nemane comes on to replace Ambrose. He's ran off socks off today and played on the left wing, right wing and through the centre. Good performance and a nice goal to cap it off.

89' - SUB - Vasco comes on to replace Adamo for Roma. Good first half from Adamo and unlucky to be on the losing side.

91' - GOOOOOAALLLLLL - Little Manu with a little bit of magic as he beats his man in the 18 yard box then has a lovely backheel to the onrunning Barker who smashes it into the roof of the net. 4-0 City!

94' - And the referee brings a very entertaining game of football to a close. Astounding to say after a 4-0 win but Roma might feel that they could have won this with a bit more clinicalness early on. Vieira making the change to the 4-4-2 completely changed the game and from there City were scoring for fun as they exploited the wings and picked off Roma. Thought Roma chased the game at 1-0 instead of shutting up shop which is credit to their team and De Rossi.

As it finished, City win the group comfortably with maximum points and a +18 goal difference. Roma go through as second placed qualifiers after some good performances against Moscow home and away. Knock out stages here we come!