Roma dramatically booked their place in the UEFA Europa League last 16 after battling to a 1-1 draw against Panathinaikos, despite playing much of the match with 10 men. The result, however, brought their four-game winning run in the competition to an end.

The Italian side started brightly, registering their first shot on target inside the opening minute. Former Olympiacos defender and current Liverpool loanee Kostas Tsimikas tested Alban Lafont, whose sharp save pushed the effort behind for a corner.

Soon after, Lafont narrowly avoided embarrassment when he gifted possession to Matías Soulé. The Argentine’s heavy first touch denied him a shooting chance, and although Lorenzo Pellegrini followed up, his effort was blocked by Panathinaikos captain Tasos Bakasetas.

Roma continued to look the more dangerous side. Jan Ziolkowski narrowly missed connecting with Pellegrini’s inviting free-kick, while Erik Palmer-Brown produced a crucial block to deny Neil El Aynaoui from opening the scoring.

The match’s turning point arrived midway through the first half when Gianluca Mancini brought down Milos Pantovic as he surged toward goal. Initially shown a yellow card, Mancini was sent off after referee Juan Martínez Munuera reviewed the incident on VAR.

Despite their numerical advantage, Panathinaikos struggled to assert themselves before the interval. Bryan Cristante tracked back brilliantly to dispossess Pantovic, while Giorgos Katris came closest with a long-range effort that struck the crossbar.

At half-time, Roma had slipped from sixth to eighth in the standings and were clinging to hopes of automatic qualification. Meanwhile, Panathinaikos coach Rafael Benítez faced selection concerns, naming just five outfield players on his bench due to injuries.

Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini made a defensive adjustment at the break, introducing Evan Ndicka for Soulé. The visitors initially coped well, but a costly error from Daniele Ghilardi proved decisive. Vicente Taborda pounced, cutting inside before rifling home in the 58th minute.

The goal briefly pushed Roma out of the top eight and lifted Panathinaikos into the top 16, which would have secured them seeded status for the knockout phase.

Roma responded with renewed urgency. Pellegrini and substitute Devyne Rensch both squandered promising chances before the equaliser finally arrived on 80 minutes. Ziolkowski showed great bravery to head home after Niccolò Pisilli’s cross was inadvertently deflected into his path by Katris.

The late goal restored Roma to eighth place, allowing them to bypass the play-offs and qualify directly for the last 16. Panathinaikos, meanwhile, must settle for an unseeded spot after recording their third consecutive draw in the competition.