'Perfect Roma' blow Lyon away to qualify for last eight

LYON - THE last time Roma advanced to the last eight of the European Cup, they went all the way to the final in 1984.

They will be dreaming of a repeat, after Tuesday's shock 2-0 win at Lyon. The win put them into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

'The team were perfect, and showed a maturity which they have not displayed over the past few years,' said their coach Luciano Spalletti.

Roma are in the competition only because of the fallout from the Serie A match-fixing scandal last season.

Lyon, who had not lost any of their 18 previous home games in the tournament, fell behind after 22 minutes.

Roma's captain Francesco Totti powered in a header from Max Tonetto's cross.

Brazilian Mancini's spectacular goal doubled the lead a minute before the interval.

Collecting the ball on the left, he mesmerised defender Anthony Reveillere with a series of quick stepovers, slipped past and shot powerfully into the top corner.

They then defended tightly under sustained pressure in typical Italian fashion to prevent Lyon reaching the last eight for the fourth straight year.

The teams drew 0-0 at Rome's Stadio Olimpico in the first leg two weeks ago.

'It hurts, but Roma were the better team tonight,' said coach Gerard Houllier, who is set to guide Lyon to their sixth straight domestic title, a first in European football.

'Our two problems were that we were not dangerous enough up front and we were not as strong as you have to be on an occasion like this. It was simply not our night.'

The principal architect of Lyon's misfiring attack was Sidney Govou. He missed three goal-scoring opportunities.

The sorry night for Lyon was summed up when Brazilian striker Fred elbowed Roma's Christian Chivu and left him with a bloody face. Fred was fortunate to be allowed to stay on the pitch.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE