Bayer Leverkusen staged a shocking late comeback to maneuver into the Europa League last with a 2-2 draw at house in opposition to AS Roma on Thursday as they gained 4-2 on combination and set the longest unbeaten run in all competitions together with European matches.
Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who’ve additionally reached this month’s German Cup last as they chase a treble, performed their forty ninth match with out defeat to surpass Benfica’s document set from 1963-65, however they needed to battle for the second-leg draw.
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Xabi Alonso’s facet, who’ve 40 wins of their unbeaten run, will face Italian facet Atalanta within the Might 22 last in Dublin.
It is going to be a 3rd European last for Leverkusen, who gained their solely continental title after they lifted the UEFA Cup in 1988 and misplaced within the 2002 Champions League showpiece.
“For the mentality we confirmed once more at present in opposition to an enormous crew to come back again like this and undergo to the ultimate. We’re very happy at present,” stated Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka. “You see the need from the crew, we did not wish to decelerate. We wished to attain the subsequent objective to maintain going unbeaten, 49 occasions now. We’re happy with it.
“Roma is a crew that has loads of expertise and so they do issues very effectively however I believe over two video games the higher crew has gone to the ultimate.”
Roma knew that they had a mountain to climb after dropping the primary leg 2-0 at house, however they remained composed in an evenly contested match during which Leverkusen regularly seized management.
Leverkusen’s Exequiel Palacios struck the publish simply earlier than half-time, with the rebound deflecting off Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar’s again, however Evan Ndicka cleared the hazard.
Svilar then made one other acrobatic save simply earlier than the break, denying Amine Adli after which smothering the rebound.
Regardless of Leverkusen’s stress, Roma took the lead with a penalty from Leandro Paredes simply earlier than half-time after Jonathan Tah fouled Sardar Azmoun. Paredes scored with one other spot kick within the 66th minute after Adam Hlozek dealt with the ball within the space.
With eight minutes remaining, a Leverkusen nook confused the visiting defence, together with the till then wonderful Svilar, resulting in defender Gianluca Mancini inadvertently deflecting the ball into his personal web on the far publish.
Late substitute Joseph Stanisic then secured Leverkusen’s place within the document books deep into stoppage time with the equaliser after a skilful transfer into the field to thrill the ecstatic house followers and depart battling Roma distraught.
“It was a heroic efficiency however Leverkusen are a extremely sturdy crew,” Roma boss Daniele De Rossi instructed Sky Sports activities Italia. “I believed our performances in each legs have been good. We did not have sufficient photographs on objective and generally that may make the distinction, however the gamers have been unbelievable.”
The late objective by Leverkusen was the membership’s eighth game-tying strike within the last 5 minutes this season, twice as many as some other crew in Europe’s top-5 leagues in all competitions.