<text>  Seydou Keita scored a late equaliser to give Roma the advantage in this all-Italian Europa League last-16 tie - and saved team-mate Adem Ljalics blushes at the same time. Ljalic had the chance to cancel out Josip Ilicics first-half opener with a penalty on the hour mark but saw his effort saved by Fiorentina goalkeeper Neto. The away goal for Roma could be vital as the second-place Serie A side look to take the initiative in the return leg at the Stadio Olimpico next week. Seydou Keita runs over to team-mate Gervinho to celebrate his equalising goal for Roma against Fiorentina . Josip Ilicic celebrates scoring the opening goal for Fiorentina but it was Roma who would later be laughing . Fiorentina 4-3-3: Neto; Tomovic, Rodriguez, Basanta, Alonso; Badelj, Pizarro Fernandez 46 minutes, Valero Aquilani 72; Joaquin, Ilicic Babacar 81, Salah. Unused subs: Lezzerini, Pasqual, Richards, Vargas. Goal: Ilicic 17. Booked: Pizarro, Alonso, Ilicic, Neto, Badelj. Manager: Vincenzo Montella . Roma 4-3-3: Skorupski; Torosidis, Manolas Astori 26, Yanga-Mbiwa, Holebas; Nainggolan, De Rossi Pjanic 22, Keita; Florenzi, Ljajic Gervinho 75, Iturbe. Unused subs: Cole, De Sanctis, Doumbia, Verde. Goal: Keita 77. Penalty missed: Ljajic 60. Booked: Nainggolan. Manager: Rudi Garcia. Referee: Antonio Mateh Lahoz. The hosts started stronger, and it was no surprise when Mohamed Salah fashioned the chance for the opening goal after 17 minutes. Salah has been a revelation since arriving in Serie A on loan from Chelsea, with six goals in seven appearances, and he continued his good run of form by playing Ilicic in for the opener. With Fiorentina on the counter-attack, Salah picked up the ball on the left flank - slightly unfamiliar for him - and drove forward at pace. No challenges came in and the Egyptian had the simple task of slipping the ball between two defenders to the feet of Ilicic, who took a touch to compose himself before smashing a left-footed drive past Lukasz Skorupski at his near post. Roma came more into it as the half went on and missed good opportunities through Juan Manuel Iturbe and Alessandro Florenzi but they did also lose both captain Daniel de Rossi and Kostas Manolas to injury. Radja Nainggolan also picked up a booking meaning he will miss the second leg in the Italian capital. After the break the two sides edged back into their shells a little in fear of giving away more of an advantage, but the game burst back into life on the hour mark. Fiorentina fans hold up an impressive tifo mosaic at the Artemio Franchi stadium ahead of the last-16 tie . Ilicics shot flies into the net at Lukasz Skorupskis near post after he latched on to Mohamed Salahs pass . Ilicic hidden is mobbed by his team-mates after opening the scoring at the Artemio Franchi stadium . Iturbe broke clear down the right and, one-on-one with Neto, tried to dodge past the Fiorentina keeper but was brought down. The protests were fierce as the Brazilian clearly got a hand to the ball but referee Antonio Mateh Lahoz refused to waver. Ljalic stepped up and hit the penalty hard and low but Neto dived low to his right to palm it away. Brazilian goalkeeper Neto brought down Juan Manuel Iturbe to give away a penalty on the hour mark . But Neto swept himself down, got back between the sticks and brilliantly saved Adem Ljalics penalty . But Roma were not to be denied for too long. Just 17 minutes later Keita found space to nod in Florenzis corner and grab the crucial away goal. Fiorentina could have restored a lead moments later but Milan Badelj was brilliantly stopped by Skorupski. But it was not enough, Roma take a slender lead back to the Stadio Olimpico next Thursday. Keita crashed in an equaliser with his head to give Roma the first-leg advantage on Thursday . Keita found himself in acres of space to level the scores and put Roma in the driving seat of the tie . Mohamed Salah set up Fiorentinas opening goal with a bursting run but it was not enough to secure the win . 