Bayer Leverkusen are through to the UEFA Europa League final thanks to a 4-2 aggregate victory over Roma after a 2-2 draw in the second leg at the BayArena. Down 2-0 from the first leg, two Leandro Paredes penalties leveled things up for the Italians, but Gianluca Mancini’s own goal and Josip Stanisic’s stoppage-time equalizer not only put Leverkusen through, but kept their 49-game unbeaten run going. Josip Stanišić equalized in the 97th minute as Bayer Leverkusen played out a dramatic 2-2 draw at home against Roma to secure a place in the UEFA Europa League final and maintain their unbeaten treble dream.
Roma threatened to upset the game in Leverkusen when Leandro Paredes put the Italians ahead in the first half before scoring a second penalty after the break to equalise.
But Gianluca Mancini’s own goal gave the hosts a chance to protect their incredible unbeaten run this season, which looked over until Stanišić fired in a last-ditch effort to level the match.
Leverkusen won the tie 4-2 and are now unbeaten in 49 games, bettering their longest unbeaten run since the inception of European competition, surpassing Benfica’s effort set between 1963 and 1965.
Xabi Alonso’s side will face fellow Serie A side Atalanta in the final in Dublin after beating Marseille 3-0 and 4-1 on aggregate on Thursday.
LEVERKUSEN’S RACE CONTINUES AS THEY SHOOT FOR DUBLIN
Incredibly, Bayer Leverkusen are still unbeaten this season despite being two goals down in the last 10 minutes of normal time. It feels inevitable that Alonso’s side will go on to become Germany’s invincibles and claim all three trophies on offer in the process.
Mancini’s own goal was the turning point of the match. Leverkusen needed something to grab onto and that was the moment the momentum really swung in Leverkusen’s favour. If that didn’t come in, who knows? But when he did, the tie was over and it was all about Leverkusen maintaining that unbeaten run.
Just as they have done on so many occasions this season, they kept pushing, kept persevering and sealed the draw with the last kick of the game to etch their names into the history books.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – MILE SVILAR (ROMA)
It didn’t end well for the Roma keeper and he made a crucial mistake that led to an own goal by Mancini, but he did everything in his power to prevent Leverkusen from scoring and came close to making it while making some outstanding defensive plays along the way.
The Slovenian made an incredible 12 saves in total – including an emphatic double save – and kept Roma in the game for so long as Leverkusen beat the defense at times but just couldn’t find a way past the in-form stopper.
However, there is an inevitability around Leverkusen this season and Svilar fell victim to that as the Bundesliga champions struck late on to keep their incredible season going.
MATCH RATINGS
Leverkusen: Kovar 7, Tapsoba 7, Tah 6, Hinkapi 8, Frimpong 8, Palacios 8, Xhaka 8, Grimaldo 7, Hoffman 7, Hlozek 7, Adli 7
Substitutes: Stanišić N/A, Kossunou N/A, Virc N/A, Šik 6
Roma: Svilar 9, Spinacola 6, N’Dicka 6, Mancini 5, Angelino 7, Cristante 7, Paredes 8, Pellegrini 7, Azmoun 6, Lukaku 6, El Shaarawy 7
Subs: Smalling N/A, Abraham N/A, Bove 6, Zalevski 6
THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE MATCH
16′ – BIG SAVING BY SVILAR! Palacios plays a one-two on the edge of the box with Hoffman before pulling the trigger, but his fierce effort is straight at the Roma keeper who beats it. Piero Hincapie sends the rebound over the goal.
18′ – HUGE CHANCE FOR ROMA! Roma throws the ball into the penalty area and Pellegrini remains unmarked, but sends a header straight at Kovar! he couldn’t quite produce power. What a chance for the Italians. They are definitely growing in confidence…
29′ – Off the post! Palasios hits the foot of the post with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area! Leverkusen is a few centimeters away from taking the lead!
32′ – ANOTHER GOOD SELECTION BY SVILAR! Frimpong cuts inside with his left foot from the right and sends a curler towards the top left corner which Svilar manages to round the post brilliantly.
39′ – GREAT DOUBLE SAVE SVILAR! It’s a busy man tonight! Grimaldo clears the ball from the line on the left and the Leverkusen players line up for a shot. Aldi’s powerful effort from the left was powerfully beaten by Svilar, before Hložek’s follow-up was sent straight down the keeper’s neck.
42′ – PENALTY FOR ROMA! Jonathan Tah drags Azmoun into the penalty area as the ball is thrown in and Danny McKelly points straight to the spot! This could be huge.
43′ – GOAL!!! – LEVERKUZEN 0-1 ROMA (PAREDES): That’s exactly what the visitors needed! Paredes knocks the ball in the middle of the goal and Roma takes the lead before half time! This is a completely different tie now.
64′ – ROMA PENALTY! Hložek holds the ball on the cross, it’s clear as day and Roma has a chance to double the lead and equalize!
66′ – GOAL!!! – LEVERCUZEN 0-2 ROMA (PAREDES): Paredes rejects