AS Roma defender Chris Smalling was left to rue the sloppy goals conceded by his Italian football team in the Europa League semi-final first leg clash with hosts Manchester United. Smalling and Roma were on the receiving end of a 6-2 thumping at the hands of the Red Devils at the end of the first leg thus giving themselves a huge mountain to climb in the second leg in Rome.
England international Smalling was a former Manchester United player before he left to join Roma on loan at the start of last season. His impressive performances while on loan at the Italian football team for the whole of last season prompted the club to make his move permanent last summer. He spoke to BT Sports about the Europa League semi-final first leg encounter with his former club.
Smalling told reporters that his team conceded sloppy goals in the second half. He mentioned the injury issues in his team before adding that injury can’t be used as an excuse for the sloppy goals conceded especially in the second half. The Englishman and his Roma teammates collapsed in the second half of the first half by conceding five goals while in a position of strength. The Italian football capital club had led 2-1 at the half-time interval.
Roma had problems with injuries in the first half. Three players namely Spanish shot stopper Pau Lopez, Italian international Leonardo Spinazzola and Frenchman Jordan Veretout all left the field with respective injuries in the first 37 minutes. Chris Smalling and AmadouDiawara were struggling visibly in the second half but manager Paulo Fonseca could not make substitutions having made the mandatory three substitutions in the first half.