Bayer 'Neverlusen': Freak unbeaten run stretched to 49 games after ...
Bayer Leverkusen are through to the Europa League final 4-2 on aggregate after a stoppage-time goal from Josip Stanisic snatched a 2-2 draw at home on Thursday, extending their unbeaten run to a record 49 games.
In a rematch of last season’s Europa League semi-final, Roma came to Leverkusen 2-0 down after the first leg but levelled the tie up despite having little possession thanks to penalties in each half from Leandro Paredes.
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With the tie heading for extra time, Alex Grimaldo curled in a corner which goalie Mile Svilar failed to catch, the ball going into the net after bouncing off Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.
Stanisic then kept Leverkusen’s stunning record of late goals alive by scoring on the counter in the seventh minute of added time, breaking Benfica’s European unbeaten record dating back to 1965.
Bundesliga champions Leverkusen will meet Atalanta, who beat Marseille 3-0 (4-1 on aggregate), in the final in Dublin on May 22 with hopes of a remarkable treble still alive.
Exequiel Palacios was the target for much of Roma’s roughhousery but the Argentinian World Cup winner almost had revenge after 29 minutes when his low shot hit the inside of the post and came close to bouncing in off goalkeeper Svilar’s back.
Roma sent a long ball up the other end and within moments the referee pointed to the spot, after Roma’s Bayer Leverkusen-loanee Sardar Azmoun went down in a tussle with Jonathan Tah.
Leverkusen’s unbeaten run extended to a remarkable 49 games. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesMORE COVERAGE
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Palacios’ Argentinian teammate Paredes sent the ball down the middle and Roma were 1-0 up, back into the tie just before half-time.
The second half began like the first, with Leverkusen unable to make their dominance count on the scoreboard -- before Roma won another spot kick, this time via VAR for a handball against Hlozek.
Paredes scored again, sending the ball left to take a two-goal lead in the match and level the tie.
Roma held on for dear life and went to ground frequently to hold onto the lead, reminiscent of their performance at the same venue in last year’s semi-final which netted a 0-0 draw and a spot in the final.
With nine minutes remaining, Leverkusen won another corner which Grimaldo swung through the hands of goalie Svilar, who clattered into Chris Smalling, the ball then bouncing in off the face of Mancini.
Roma pushed forward hoping to send things to extra time but Bayern loanee Stanisic hit the Italians on the counter, sending his team-mates sprinting from the bench and keeping his side’s season-long unbeaten run alive.
Stanisic is mobbed by teammates after equalising in the 97th minute for Leverkusen against Roma. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP)Source: AFPGREEK GIANTS KILL OFF PL SIDE’S EURO DREAM IN STUNNING FIRST
Olympiakos will face Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final after making history with their 2-0 win against Aston Villa in Thursday’s semi-final second leg.
Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side clinched a 6-2 aggregate triumph thanks to a double from Villa’s chief tormentor Ayoub El Kaabi, who hit a hat-trick in the first leg.
On a raucous night at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Olympiakos, champions of Greece a record 47 times, booked their first appearance in a major European final.
The only other Greek club to reach a European final were Panathinaikos, who were beaten by Ajax in the 1971 European Cup final.
Adding to the sense of destiny for Olympiakos, they will face Italian side Fiorentina on May 29 at the AEK Arena, home of one of their local rivals and just 10 miles across Athens from their own stadium.
After losing last season’s Europa Conference League final against West Ham, Fiorentina booked their return to the showpiece by defeating Club Brugge 4-3 on aggregate in the other semi-final on Wednesday.
Olympiakos’s Chiquinho had an early sight of goal after evading the Villa defence, but the midfielder shot wide with a hurried effort.
It was a warning Villa failed to heed as Olympiakos carved open the visitors to take the lead in the 10th minute.
Ayoub El Kaabi scored five goals across the two legs as Olympiacos progressed to the Europa Conference League final. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesDaniel Podence, on loan from Wolves, picked out David Carmo’s over-lapping run and his low cross reached the unmarked El Kaabi, who stretched to poke past Emiliano Martinez from close-range.
Villa were out of sync and their spluttering start was encapsulated by Leon Bailey slipped when he lined up a shot that trickled weakly to Olympiakos keeper Kostas Tzolakis.
Bailey’s header looped wide and Douglas Luiz’s long-range drive was held by Tzolakis, who watched as the Villa midfielder lofted a free-kick over the bar moments later.
Kostas Fortounis tested Martinez with a 20-yard curler that had the Villa keeper sprawling low to his left to save.
Tzolakis made a superb save to repel Bailey’s fierce strike with an agile tip over on the stroke of half-time.
With the tie firmly in their hands, Olympiakos pressed relentlessly and defended in droves to keep Villa at bay.
Villa striker Ollie Watkins headed over early in the second half before substitute Jhon Duran was denied by Tzolakis.
Morocco forward El Kaabi put the result beyond doubt in the 78th minute when he sprinted onto Tzolakis’s punt, eluded Ezri Konsa and slotted home to send Olympiakos into ecstasy.
EUROPA LEAGUE SEMI FINAL RESULTS
Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Roma (Leverkusen win 4-2 on aggregate)
Atalanta 3-0 Marseille (Atalanta win 4-1 on aggregate)
EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE SEMI FINAL RESULTS
Club Brugge 1-1 Fiorentina (Fiorentina win 4-3 on aggregate)
Olympiacos 2-0 Aston Villa (Olympiacos win 6-2 on aggregate)
