Athletic Bilbao secured a decisive 3-1 victory over AS Roma in this UEFA Europa League encounter at San Mames. The performance was marked by Bilbao's aggressive attacking strategy, evidenced by their impressive 23 shots, 8 of which were on target. In contrast, Roma managed just 2 shots on target from 5 attempts, revealing their inability to penetrate Bilbao's solid defensive line. This disparity in offensive execution was a critical factor influencing the match outcome.

Nico Williams' remarkable brace underscored Bilbao's offensive prowess, with his opening goal arriving courtesy of a precise build-up play. His second goal in the later stages, assisted by Yuri Berchiche, further highlighted Bilbao’s effective use of wide areas to exploit Roma’s defensive weaknesses. Berchiche was instrumental, not only contributing a goal himself but also assisting Williams, demonstrating impeccable timing and coordination. In contrast, Roma's lone goal came from a penalty converted by Leandro Paredes, reflecting their struggle to create open-play opportunities.

Disciplinary issues heavily affected Roma, evident from their four yellow cards and a red card, compounded by limited corner kicks and possession errors. The red card was pivotal, leaving Roma numerically disadvantaged and compromising their tactical plans. Bilbao capitalized on this, controlling the game’s tempo and limiting Roma's offensive efforts. The disparity in fouls, with Athletic Bilbao committing 11 compared to Roma's 4, suggests an aggressive pressing strategy which perhaps unsettled the Italian side and contributed to disrupting their flow.

The organizational discipline of Athletic Bilbao was exemplary, with their players operating cohesively across the pitch. Bilbao's substitutions maintained their intensity, whereas Roma's inability to adapt following the red card was evident. Ultimately, the match’s critical turning point came with Bilbao's second goal, which exploited Roma’s loss of composure post-red card, thereby reinforcing their dominance and efficiently managing the remaining phases of the game.

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