Leverkusen juggernaut powers on after 2-0 win at Roma, Marseille held

Bayer Leverkusen's pursuit of a treble was hugely boosted by a 2-0 win at Roma in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday, while Marseille and Atalanta drew 1-1.

Leverkusen's Germany duo Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich scored either side of the break to help the recently crowned Bundesliga champions extend their remarkable unbeaten run this season to 47 games in all competitions - a record in the big five leagues.

"We knew it was going to be a fiery game given the stadium and the result last year," Andrich, whose side lost to Roma at the same stage last term, told RTL.

"I had a bit of time and eyed it up with my right, the goal was pretty cool. Perhaps we could have scored a third...now we have to confirm our passage in the second leg."

The Werkself had drawn their last three games, with very late goals maintaining their amazing run, but they will host the Giallorossi in next Thursday's second leg in buoyant mood.

"Second half at 1-0 we had good control," coach Xabi Alonso said. "But it is not over yet. They have nothing to lose and we have everything to lose."

Leverkusen also meet second tier Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final on May 25. The Europa League final is in Dublin three days earlier.

An all-Italian affair in the Irish capital is now unlikely but still possible after Gianluca Scamacca gave Atalanta the lead on 11 minutes in southern France from Teun Koopmeiners' assist. Striker Scamacca's drilled finish was his 16th goal of the season in all competitions.

But Marseille defender Chancel Mbemba levelled midway through the first half with a superb curling shot to send the Stade Velodrome wild. The hosts hit the woodwork and had a goal ruled out in the second period.

"We played really well, but we needed that little bit more."
Marseille midfielder Amine Harit told Canal Plus.

Atalanta, from the small Italian city of Bergamo near Milan, are in their first ever European semi-final while 1993 European champions Marseille have only ever been runners-up three times in the second-tier competition.

In Rome, Leverkusen's Alonso continued his policy of rotation in Europe despite already having the Bundesliga wrapped up.

Matěj Kovář started in goal instead of Lukas Hradecky and Alonso went without a traditional centre forward, leaving Patrick Schick and Victor Boniface on the bench.

Roma, hoping to be in the Champions League next season after Italy received a fifth place for next season's revamp, had Romelu Lukaku fit enough to start and the Belgium striker rattled the bar with a first-half header.

Leverkusen, the 1988 UEFA Cup winners, looked dangerous on the break and wing back Jeremie Frimpong hit the side netting from an awkward angle.

The game was end-to-end and a mistake made the difference.

Wirtz scored his fourth goal in nine Europa League matches this term after Roma's Rick Karsdorp botched a backpass and Alex Grimaldo nipped in to set up the Germany playmaker.

The goal on 28 minutes came when the Romans had arguably been on top.

A rocking atmosphere in the Stadio Olimpico was matched by some fireworks on the pitch as players got involved in a fracas as the first half wore on and tensions rose.

Frimpong then went close again before half-time.

Roma pushed for an equalizer after the break but ran out of steam. Andrich then unleashed a perfect shot into the top corner from just outside the box to inflict a rare home defeat on Daniele De Rossi's side, with another ruckus following the goal.