Brighton 1 Roma 0: Danny Welbeck goal not enough in Europa League

The Seagulls produced a performance of pride, urgency and some quality to beat Roma 1-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie.

But a superb first-half curler from Danny Welbeck proved not to be the foundation for an historic riposte to the 4-0 defeat suffered at the Stadio Olimpico a week earlier.

The single goal was scant reward for their efforts but this was a different side to that we saw in Italy.

Roberto De Zerbi made three personnel changes in relation to the side which started the first leg.

Bart Verbruggen was in goal, Pervis Estupinan on the left of defence and Adam Lallana was asked to use his craft and know-how from kick-off.

Compared to the first leg, Roma made no changes in defence and one in midfield, where they left Leandro Paredes on the bench.

But there was an all changed front three.

Paulo Dybala and Stephan El Shaarawy were on the bench while Romelu Lukaka did not make the trip due to a hip injury.

The atmosphere took some time to kick in ahead of the game but was red hot at kick-off and Mile Svilar had to clutch a cross in the first 40 seconds as Estupinan charged forward.

Albion were looking to charge forward at pace and Gianluca Mancini decided the best way to slow early momentum was to go down with a mysterious injury.

The same defender was yellow-carded soon after for an arm across the throat of Julio Enciso just outside the box.

But Lewis Dunk’s subsequent free-kick hit the wall and Roma’s Sardar Azmoun angled a shot wide at the other end seconds later.

Despite a lot of effort and urgency on and off the pitch, Albion had not caused any major scares early on.

Billy Gilmour’s eyes lit up as a poor defensive header fell his way, but he volleyed over.

Then Gross opened an angle for a shot which he dragged across the face of goal.

Roma had the ball in the net midway through the half – and felt a sense of injustice as Azmoun’s overhead kick was ruled out for a high boot as Jan Paul van Hecke put his head in to challenge.

It felt like Albion had enjoyed a bit of luck and Daniele De Rossi was yellow-carded for his complaints.

Simon Adingra did well to force a corner which led to Gilmour bouncing a rather awkward shot wide with Lallana unable to divert it goalwards.

Tariq Lamptey was next in the book after catching Azmoun, an incident which led to another significant stoppage.

Evan N’Dicka followed for preventing a quick free-kick.

But the breakthrough came in the 37th minute – and it was sensational.

Enciso, who had not really been in the game, set things moving with a nice little reverse pass.

Welbeck gave the ball wide to Estupinan, got it back, assessed angles and options and then curled an absolute beauty across Svilar.

Suddenly Roma were rattled, not least one of their most experienced players, Leonardo Spinazzola.

There were confrontations on and off the pitch, De Zerbi saw yellow, Svilar flapped at a cross and the noise levels went up again.

But no further inroads were made by the break.

Roma made the assured start to the second half De Rossi would have wanted and their fans were heard for the first time, although Enciso pulled a shot wide after good footwork.

Enciso and Lallana, sprinting to the technical area to save seconds, went off soon after, replaced by Ansu Fati and Facundo Buonanotte as Albion fans boomed out the Great Escape theme.

Ansu quickly sent in a tempting cross to which Welbeck almost got a touch, then Adingra headed wide from an Estupinan delivery.

And then Spinazzola channelled his frustration with a powerful run, carving through before his shot hit the outside of the post.

Albion surely had to double their tally just past the hour when Gross picked out Adingra, but the latter’s close-range header was too close to Svilar, who blocked.

And van Hecke twice headed over in a matter of minutes.

Svilar went down to his left to push away an Igor shot as Albion continued to push forward towards the North Stand.

But, as Ansu sliced a volley wide and Svilar wrapped himself safely around an Adingra shot, it was increasingly clear Roma had weathered the storm.

The Roma keeper made one last tip-over from an Ansu long-ranger before Albion made their dignified exit amid applause and songs at the Amex.

Albion: Verbruggen; Lamptey (Ferguson 61), van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan (Igor 61); Gilmour (Baleba 85), Gross; Lallana (Buonanotte 53), Enciso (Ansu Fati 53), Adingra; Welbeck.

Unused subs: Webster, Moder, Steele, Veltman, McGill, Peupion, Baker-Boaitey.

Goal: Welbeck 37.

Yellow cards: Lamptey, Estupinan, De Zerbi.

Roma: Svilar; Celik, Mancini, N’Dicka, Spinazzola; Bove, Cristante, Pellegrini; Baldanzi (Aouar 83), Azmoun (Costa 90+1), Zalewski (Llorente 73).

Unused subs: Rui Patricio, Karsdorp, Paredes, Dybala, Pagano, Pisilli, Boer, Angelino, El Shaarawy.

Yellow cards: Mancini, N’Dicka, Pellegrini, Svilar, Celik, De Rossi.

Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany).