Opinion: 3 notable performances from win in Bern

AS Roma got their Europa League campaign off to the perfect start with a 2-1 away win over Young Boys in the Swiss capital on Thursday, with Bruno Peres and Marash Kambulla grabbing the goals.

We’ve picked out three individual Roma performances that stood out from the Group A victory...

PAU LOPEZ

Having seen Antonio Mirante preferred as Paulo Fonseca’s No. 1 in the early exchanges of 2020-21, it was clear Lopez was out to impress as he made his first appearance of the season.

And the 25-year-old did just that, with - bar the home side’s converted first half penalty that Lopez could do little about - the Spanish stopper in solid form when called upon.

There was no better example than his superb save with just four minutes remaining as Meschak Elia raced through on goal and looked to have fired a late Young Boys equaliser into the roof of the net, only for Lopez’s stunning reaction save to tip the effort over the bar and help put the seal on a fine away win.

MARASH KUMBULLA

This is a night that will live long in the memory of the 20-year-old Albania centre-back, who has had a whirlwind month as he added to his first start for the national team by capping his European debut with a first Roma goal.

Kumbulla’s movement to find space in the Young Boys box and coolly guided header for what proved to be the winner will rightly take the headlines, but his overall defensive work should also be applauded.

Having started in the centre of Roma’s three-man defence, Kumbulla looked equally comfortable as he ended the game on the left of Fonseca’s defensive trio and regularly snuffed out the home side’s attacks with his superb positioning and reading of the game in another highly accomplished performance.

BRUNO PERES

Like Lopez, the Brazilian right-back was another player to benefit from Fonseca’s nine changes to the side that beat Benevento at the weekend, as the 30-year-old came in for his first start of the season.

Similar to his goalkeeper, Peres’ contribution was telling as he bombed on the overlap to collect Edin Dzeko’s inch-perfect through ball before slotting beyond David von Ballmoos in the Swiss side’s goal.

Peres’ first Europa League goal for Roma was crucial in helping get his side back on track by levelling the scores and his display will give his Portuguese coach just the selection headache he wants on a night the 47-year-old saw - in the likes of Peres - the extent of his options within the squad.