UEL | Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-3 Bologna: Rossoblu fly into play-offs in style

Bologna closed their Europa League opening phase with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Maccabi Tel-Aviv, as Jonathan Rowe, Riccardo Orsolini and Tommaso Pobega took them into the play-offs.

The Rossoblu were sure of a spot in the play-offs, and still had a very slim chance of making the top eight in this final league phase game. Jhon Lucumi was still out of action, with Federico Bernardeschi back on the bench, but Riccardo Orsolini and Jonathan Rowe unusually started together after a painful 3-2 defeat to Genoa. Maccabi Tel-Aviv sacked coach Zarko Lazetic yesterday after three consecutive defeats, missing Osher Davida, Mohamed Camara, Tyrese Asante, Kristijan Belic, Ioan Nicolaescu and Denny Gropper. It was played on neutral turf at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Orsolini nodded a Nadir Zortea wide in the opening minutes, while Dor Peretz prodded straight at Lukasz Skorupski when going through the middle.

Bologna had the ball in the net on 20 minutes when Juan Miranda whipped in the cross from the left and players were queuing up, Orsolini nodding in, but it was ruled offside.

Noam Ben Harosh should’ve done better when sent clear inside the area, flashing his angled drive wide of the far post.

Lewis Ferguson tested the goalkeeper from the edge of the box, but a similar situation resulted in the opening goal, Ofek Melika meekly parrying the Nikola Moro strike into the path of Rowe.

Melika did a little better keeping out a Santiago Castro effort with difficulty, while Kervin Andrade swept an angled drive wide with only Skorupski to beat.

Bologna had a double chance in first half stoppages, as first Melika used his legs to parry from Ferguson, then got down for the one-handed save on Castro.

They doubled their lead within 60 seconds of the restart, as Orsolini ran onto the Zortea assist down the right, cut inside one defender and drilled the finish through a sea of legs.

Federico Bernardeschi made his comeback after a fractured clavicle and immediately put himself about, going down too easily to earn a penalty, then firing over the bar.

The referee pointed to the spot when Zortea squirmed between Ben Simon and Revivo to go down, but the penalty was revoked following the VAR review, as any contact was minimal.

Niccolò Cambiaghi burst into the box and stung Melika’s gloves at the near post, then Thijs Dallinga at full stretch couldn’t get full contact to tap in the Miranda assist.

Miranda tested the goalkeeper himself in added time and Remo Freuler fired just wide on the resulting corner.

Deep into stoppages, Cambiaghi dribbled to the by-line and pulled back, the deflection allowing Tommaso Pobega to sweep in undisturbed for 3-0.

For a while, Bologna were in eighth place and heading straight into the Round of 16, but it was always going to depend on other results going their way.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-3 Bologna

Rowe 35 (B), Orsolini 47 (B), Pobega 94 (B)