Brighton and Hove Albion beat Roma with a sensational Danny Welbeck strike but went crashing out of the Europa League 4-1 on aggregate.
It wasn’t to be and, in truth, Albion did have the chances but lacked the execution.
Welbeck’s goal was well taken from outside the area but the hosts had plenty of other chances while Roma keeper Mile Svilar oncec again played a blinder.
After playing The Great Escape on the Amex Stadium PA system before kick-off, Brighton signalled their intent right from the start.
Left-back Pervis Estupinan sent a dangerous cross into the gloves of the Belgian goalkeeper after just 31 seconds.
Captain Lewis Dunk headed across the face of goal from Pascal Gross’s corner before later smashing a free-kick into the Roma wall.
Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour also sent a volley over the crossbar after the Italians had only half cleared a Gross free-kick.
Roma’s first chance to get on the scoresheet came in the 15th minute as Sardar Azmoun dragged his shot wide after latching on to a loose Simon Adingra pass across his own penalty area.
The visitors looked to have opened the scoring eight minutes later through Azmoun’s overhead kick only for referee Felix Zwayer to disallow the goal for a high boot.
That decision prompted an angry reaction from Roma boss Daniele De Rossi who was shown a yellow card for his protests.
Brighton took the lead eight minutes before half-time courtesy of Welbeck’s spectacular strike.
The experienced former Arsenal and Manchester United striker picked up the ball midway inside the Roma half before playing a one-two with Estupinan and curling an unstoppable right-foot shot into the far corner from 20 yards out.
A fiery first half ended with eight yellow cards, with De Zerbi joining counterpart De Rossi among those in the referee’s notebook.
Another Brighton goal soon after the re-start would have set Roma nerves jangling and Julio Enciso tried to find it with a long-range shot that ended up well wide of the target.
Substitute Ansu Fati forced Svilar into a save when his cross-shot from wide on the left bounced awkwardly in front of the keeper.
Leonardo Spinazzola came within inches of putting Roma level on the night when he fired against the angle of post and crossbar following a mazy run.
Adingra should have done better in the 64th minute when heading straight at Svilar from point-blank range from an inviting Gross cross.
Jan Paul van Hecke put a header wide from Welbeck’s looping cross and, while the home side dominated possession, they could not find any more goals as their first ever European campaign ended.
Van Hecke had at least three good chances to head a second and Gilmour still looking for that elusive first goal and despite literally running through bricks walls at times, should have done better with a couple of goal bound efforts.
Late on Dunk went up front and at least looked for the ball, maybe the out of his depth Ferguson will take note.
It’s the first time Albion have gone out of Europe let’s hope it’s not the last – 26 years earlier to the day, the club lost 2-0 in League 2 (DIv3) at Barnet!
Next up a far easier task Liverpool away on 31st March in the Premier League.
