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BATE Borisov hold off Roma fightback to stun Italians in Champions League

Belarusian champions BATE Borisov shocked Italian side Roma with a 3-2 win at the Borisov-Arena in Champions League Group E.

The current runaway leaders in Belarus hit the visitors with two goals inside the first 12 minutes from Igor Stasevich and Filip Mladenovic before the latter struck a third just after the half hour.

Gervinho and Vasilis Torosidis scored for Roma, but the defeat left the Serie A outfit bottom of the group with one point from two games as BATE enjoyed their first win over Italian opposition at the 10th attempt.

The home side took the lead when Stasevich scored after eight minutes as Roma failed to clear a ball which ricocheted around the area and the midfielder was on hand to head home.

Just flour minutes later Alyaksandr Yermakovich's side were further ahead as Mladenovic shot from 30 yards out and beat Wojciech Szczesny, who had been restored to the side by Rudi Garcia following a finger injury.

With just over half-an-hour gone BATE made it three when Mladenovic claimed his second goal by firing past Szczesny after battling his way into the area.

After losing 4-1 to Bayer Leverkusen in their opening match of the group as Roma were holding Barcelona to a 1-1 draw, the minnows were giving a fine account of themselves.

Szczesny prevented BATE from going further ahead when Nikolay Signevich tested him with a shot which this time the Polish keeper put behind for a corner.

Mohamed Salah was off target with a shot when one-on-one with keeper Sergey Chernik as Roma tried to finish the half with a flourish.

Roma's Alessandro Florenzi unleashed a fierce shot for the visitors, but defender Kaspars Dubra got his head in the way at the expense of a corner.

At the other end Daniele De Rossi came to the visitors' rescue when he blocked a shot from Evgeni Yablonski in the box with 58 minutes gone.

Iago Falque tested Chernik, but the keeper saved with his legs before Roma pulled a goal back with 66 minutes gone.

Gervinho was the man to give Garcia's team hope as the Ivory Coast forward beat Cernik after being played through by Falque.

Substitute Torosidis ensured a nervous finish with Roma's second goal from close range with eight minutes remaining.

Florenzi's shot hit the bar two minutes later as the home side continued to live dangerously, but they had done just enough to record a famous win.