Reduced to nine men in the second half after Kean Bryan and Jack Byrne saw red, the Italians took full advantage to ensure that City’s return to the Italian capital was not a happy one.
Thierry Ambrose handed the young Blues a stoppage time lifeline from the penalty spot, but Roma’s defence could not be breached a second time.
City travelled to Italy looking to go one better in this fledgling European competition than last term. Twelve months’ ago, the young blues were unlucky to come off second best in a thrilling encounter with eventual runners-up Benfica, in which they faced an inspired goalkeeping performance from the Portuguese stopper.
While City were looking to exorcise demons from last season, Roma were looking to make it third time lucky this term after suffering defeat twice to Vieira’s charges in the group stages. City had put six goals past the Italians over the two games, but knew it would be a much more difficult test this time against a team that saw off Ajax in the last 16.
The only team with a 100% record in the groups, City had also shown they could win with grit and determination, moving past Schalke via a penalty shootout after the Germans had equalised in the dying seconds.
Injuries forced Vieira into two changes from the line-up that started against Schalke, with Mathias Bossaerts and Brandon Barker ruled out of the trip to the Italian capital. Bersant Celina replaced Barker on the left, while there was a first start for Cameron Humphreys in defence.
Angus Gunn, penalty shootout hero from the last round, was back between the sticks while Bryan once again pulled on the captain’s armband and was sent to patrol the middle of the park.
The game exploded into life almost from the first whistle, as Pellegrini came within inches of opening the scoring with a powerful drive that flew past Gunn’s right hand stick, before Jose Pozo might have done better for City with a toe poke from close range.
Ambrose was next to test the Roma stopper, cutting inside and drawing an excellent save after a fantastic pass from Angelino to start the move.
After a frenzied opening few minutes chances slowed, but Olivier Ntcham fashioned a good chance before unleashing a low drilled effort, while at the other end Gunn got a nick on the ball from D’Urso to prevent Roma from taking the lead.
Celina had a good opportunity shortly after the hour mark but his effort lacked power after he received the ball beyond the defence.
It was a similar story after the break, as City edged possession and chances but struggled to find the final cutting edge. Humphreys and Ambrose worked well on the right to find Celina, but the Kosovan couldn’t quite manage to get his shot away amid a crowded penalty area.
Vieira’s men poured forward in search of the elusive first goal, and Ambrose gave the keeper another save to make after doing well to stay on his feet despite the attentions of the defender.
But just two minutes later the task got distinctly more difficult as skipper Bryan picked up a second yellow card and the hosts received an untimely boost. They made City pay almost immediately, Vestenický bundling home from close range to open the scoring just after the hour.
The luck of the Irish wasn’t with City this St Patrick’s Day, as Ireland youth international Jack Byrne then picked up a second booking to leave the blues with nine men and a mountain to climb.
Keeper Gunn had made a series of fine second half stops once Bryan was dismissed to keep his side in it, but he could do nothing about Lorenzo Pellegrini’s sweet strike from nearly 30 yards that was destined for the top corner as soon as it left his boot.
City proved their fighting spirit for the watching fans in the stadium and at home on television, refusing to believe the tie was finished. Persistence paid off and Capradossi rightly became the third player dismissed for tugging back Angelino in the box.
Ambrose despatched the penalty in brilliant fashion on 90 minutes after being made to wait while the referee attempted to restore order, but six minutes of stoppage time proved insufficient to carve out a second opening.
The young Frenchman himself hit the post in the dying seconds but it was not to be.
Vieira will be proud of side’s efforts throughout the competition and will hope to see his side return to Europe even stronger next term.
