Porto, Roma draw 1-1 in Europa League play-off first leg

Porto and Roma played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Europa League knockout phase play-off, with Roma's Zeki Celik scoring just before halftime and Porto's Francisco Moura equalizing in the second half. The match saw Roma play the final 18 minutes with a man disadvantage after Bryan Cristante received a second yellow card. Despite their numerical advantage, Porto could not secure a victory at home, leaving the tie open for the second leg in Rome. Both teams, once considered favorites to win the tournament, have struggled this season, failing to secure top league positions. The return match will be crucial, as the winner advances to the last 16 of the competition. Meanwhile, Ajax also progressed well in their tie, winning 2-0 away against Union Saint-Gilloise.