Europa League: Inaki Williams Scores Fifth Europa League Goal but Bilbao Lose in Rome
- Ghanaian international Inaki Williams scored his fifth goal in the UEFA Europa League for Athletic Bilbao
- Despite his goal, Bilbao stumbled to a 2-1 defeat against AS Roma in the first leg of their knockout tie
- The goal also helped Inaki achieve a watershed moment for Bilbao, becoming the third top European scorer for the club
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Inaki Williams continued his impressive UEFA Europa League campaign, netting his fifth goal of the tournament, but it was not enough to prevent Athletic Bilbao from falling to AS Roma in the first leg of their round of 16 clash.
A towering header from the Ghanaian forward briefly gave the Basque outfit hope, but strikes from Angeliño and Eldor Shomurodov turned the tide in favor of Claudio Ranieri’s side, setting the stage for a decisive showdown at the San Mamés next Thursday.
Source: Getty Images
Bilbao’s tactical edge and Inaki’s breakthrough
Having finished second in the league phase of the competition behind Lazio only on goal difference, Bilbao entered the tie as slight favourites to progress over two legs.
Despite Roma's resurgence under Ranieri, Ernesto Valverde’s men executed their game plan efficiently in the opening 45 minutes, keeping the Italians at bay and heading into the break with a stalemate.
Five minutes after the restart, Bilbao’s patience paid off. Inaki, lurking inside the box, connected with a well-placed headed pass, steering a header beyond the reach of the Roma goalkeeper.
The goal silenced the passionate crowd at the Stadio Olimpico and momentarily tilted the tie in the visitors’ favour.
Source: Getty Images
It marked the forward’s fifth goal in this season’s Europa League.
According to Opta statistics, the Black Stars striker has surpassed Dani (11) as the third top European scorer for Bilbao, except in qualifying (12 goals) behind only Aritz Aduriz (27) and Fernando Llorente (14).
Roma’s response and late heartbreak
Bilbao’s lead, however, was short-lived. Just six minutes later, Roma found a response through Angeliño, whose precise strike levelled the contest.
The Rojiblancos managed to hold off further threats, frustrating their hosts for most of the second half.
As the game edged towards a draw, the visitors suffered a major setback when Yeray Álvarez received a second yellow card, leaving Bilbao with ten men for the final moments.
Roma capitalised swiftly, delivering a crushing blow in the 93rd minute through Shomurodov, securing a vital first-leg victory.
The road ahead for Inaki and Bilbao
The result leaves Bilbao with work to do, but they will look to overturn the deficit when they welcome Roma to the San Mamés on March 13 in what promises to be an electrifying second leg.
Before that, Valverde’s charges will shift focus to La Liga, aiming to regain momentum when they host Mallorca on March 9 as they push for a top-four finish.
For Inaki, his strong display in Rome serves as a confidence boost ahead of Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers later this month.
The 30-year-old is expected to earn a place in Otto Addo’s squad for the crucial clashes against Chad and Madagascar.
Despite an underwhelming international scoring record—just one goal in 17 caps, per Transfermarkt—his last goal for the Black Stars proved decisive, securing a 1-0 victory over Madagascar in November 2023.
Djiku scores stunning goal in Europa League
Similarly, YEN.com.gh reported that Alexander Djiku, Inaki Williams' Black Stars teammate, netted a stunning goal in Fenerbahçe's Europa League clash against Rangers.
Despite his impressive strike, Fenerbahçe suffered a surprising 3-1 defeat in the first leg of their knockout tie.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
