Bayer Leverkusen celebrated a double triumph in stoppage time on Thursday as they not only reached the Europa League final but also maintained their remarkable unbeaten record. The German club rescued a 2-2 draw against AS Roma thanks to a late goal from substitute Josip Stanisic, ensuring their unbeaten streak stretched to 49 matches.
Leverkusen’s progress to the final was in jeopardy during the second leg of the semifinal as two penalties from Leandro Paredes had given Roma a 2-0 lead on the night and a 2-2 aggregate score. However, an own goal by Roma defender Gianluca Mancini eight minutes from time and Stanisic’s equalizer propelled Leverkusen into the final with a 4-2 aggregate victory.
The fact that Leverkusen preserved their unbeaten record just seconds away from its end marked another improbable chapter in an impressive season for Xabi Alonso’s team. Leverkusen has already won the Bundesliga title and reached the German Cup final.
Leverkusen’s equalizer was their 17th goal of the season scored in the 90th minute or later across all competitions. It was also the third time they had come back from a 2-0 deficit in the second half of Europa League knockout matches.
Roma, despite losing the first leg last week, knew they faced a daunting task. Star forward Paulo Dybala was only fit enough for a place on the bench after sustaining an injury against Juventus over the weekend.
Leverkusen had several chances to effectively end the tie, coming close in the 29th minute when Piero Hincapie’s shot came off the left post and bounced across the face of goal before being cleared.
However, it was Roma who took the lead two minutes from halftime with a Paredes penalty after Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah was adjudged to have pulled down visiting forward Sardar Azmoun.
Roma was awarded another penalty in the 66th minute, which Paredes calmly converted, sending the visiting fans into raptures.
Just as it appeared that the match was heading for extra time, Leverkusen got the goal they needed to progress. Alex Grimaldo’s corner from the right rebounded off Mancini at the far post and dropped over the line.
Leverkusen has made a habit of preserving its unbeaten record with stoppage-time goals recently, but they left it even later than usual before Stanisic, who came on in the 90th minute, cut inside and fired into the bottom far corner in the seventh minute of added-on time.
“Definitely one of them,” Stanisic said when asked if it was the biggest moment of his career. “I think that just shows what this team is, the fact that we came back and drew 2-2 in the end. I don’t think we would have cared in the end if we lost and still progressed because we really wanted to get to the final, but it’s even nicer this way.”
In the other semifinal, Atalanta secured their maiden European final with a dominant 3-0 victory over Marseille. Ademola Lookman put the hosts ahead after half an hour in the second leg in Bergamo, with Matteo Ruggeri doubling the advantage in the second half and substitute El Bilal Toure finishing it off in stoppage time.
In the third-tier Europa Conference League, Olympiakos set up the final in the Greek capital against last year’s runner-up Fiorentina by beating Aston Villa 2-0 in Piraeus. Ayoub El Kaabi, who scored a hat-trick in the first leg at Villa Park, scored both goals to move two clear at the top of the competition’s scoring table.
Fiorentina held Club Brugge to a 1-1 draw in Belgium on Wednesday, advancing to the second straight Europa Conference League final after losing 2-1 to West Ham last year in Prague.
