roma squeeze through after draw with bate published: wednesday 9 december 2015, 22.48cet roma 0-0 bate borisov the excellence of wojciech szczęsny and sergei chernik ensured there were no goals as roma pipped leverkusen to second spot in group e.
both goalkeepers shine as roma and bate borisov play out 0-0 draw wojciech szczęsny keeps roma in competition with instinctive close-range stop ıtalian side emulate zenit (2013/14) in qualifying with record low of six points roma concede 16 goals, two more than any other team that ever progressed round of 16 draw takes place at 12.00cet on monday
roma are through to the round of 16 for the first time since 2010/11 after a goalless draw against bate borisov – coupled with bayer leverkusen's failure to beat barcelona – secured second place in uefa champions league group e.
the giallorossi could not find a way past sergei chernik and in the end owed their progress to their own keeper, wojciech szczęsny, for an instinctive close-range stop to somehow deny mikhail gordeichuk. bate, who took four of their five points off roma, finish fourth.
rudi garcia had likened the game to a derby given the stakes, so it was no surprise that roma's early intensity was high. the pattern was soon set – the wolves probing and bate sitting back – yet for all of their first-half endeavours the serie a side only elicited one save of note from chernik, who dived to his right to repel miralem pjanić's free-kick.
that, though, was not enough to placate a frustrated home support, who made their displeasure known as the half-time whistle sounded. within two minutes of the restart they were lamenting a second chernik intervention as the bate no1 frustrated edin džeko, fed by compatriot pjanić, in a one-on-one.
chernik soon came to the visitors' aid again, thwarting alessandro florenzi with his legs. his team in need of a spark, garcia introduced the fit-again mohamed salah for his first appearance in a month.
midway through the half szczęsny scampered across his line to block from gordeichuk. sensing an opportunity to leapfrog their opponents, bate asked another question of szczęsny ten minutes later; again, the on-loan arsenal man had the answer, beating filip mladenović's effort into the air.
