Lille edge Roma 1-0 as Ozer saves three penalties after VAR retakes

Roma suffered a 1-0 defeat to Lille at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday, with Hakon Arnar Haraldsson’s sixth-minute strike proving to be the decisive goal and Lille goalkeeper Berke Ozer denying Roma three consecutive penalties late in the game. The result left the home side frustrated after a dominant display that produced numerous chances but no breakthrough.

Roma started brightly and created several early openings, with Matias Soulé testing the visitors’ defence and Lorenzo Pellegrini forcing Ozer into a long-range save. Haraldsson seized on a loose ball in the sixth minute to curl past Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar and give Lille the lead. After that early setback, Roma pressed for an equaliser for much of the match, with shots from Soulé and Evan Ferguson blocked and a goal-line clearance from Lille’s Mandi keeping the score at 1-0 at halftime.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side continued to dominate in the second half, introducing substitutions including Stephan El Shaarawy, Alessandro Mancini, and Artem Dovbyk to try to turn the tide. Roma’s pressure persisted, but Lille defended resolutely and looked threatening on the break and from set pieces. Ozer repeatedly came to Lille’s aid...