Bayer Leverkusen reached the Europa League closing and stretched their exceptional unbeaten run to 49 video games on Thursday, Josip Stanisic scoring seven minutes into stoppage time in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Roma.
Having received final week’s first leg 2-0 in Italy, Leverkusen had been robust favourites to advance to this month’s closing in Dublin, although two Leandro Paredes penalties left them dealing with as much as the prospect of additional time.
Paredes halved Leverkusen’s combination lead on the stroke of half-time after Jonathan Tah fouled Sardar Azmoun, then repeated the trick following a weird handball from Adam Hlozek shortly after the hour mark.
Nonetheless, Roma’s hearts had been damaged as goalkeeper Mile Svilar – who was in any other case excellent – failed to assert a routine nook and it bounced in off the unlucky Gianluca Mancini with eight minutes of the 90 remaining.
Quite than sitting again at 2-1 up within the tie, Leverkusen chased a leveller with the intention to protect their unbeaten document throughout all competitions this season.
It was yet one more last-gasp effort that saved that document intact, with Stanisic firing into the bottom-left nook after being performed by way of by Granit Xhaka.
Xabi Alonso’s group at the moment are unbeaten in 49 video games in all competitions, breaking Benfica’s earlier European top-tier document of 48 matches, set between 1963 and 1965.
Sláinte!
WE’RE GOING TO DUBLIN BABY! #B04ASR | #Bayer04 #UEL #aCROSSeurope @EuropaLeague pic.twitter.com/nT0G55aBNw
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) Might 9, 2024
Leverkusen will face one other Italian facet within the showpiece sport, after Atalanta crushed Marseille 3-0 in Bergamo to seal a 4-1 combination win within the different semi-final.
In-form striker Gianluca Scamacca had already rattled the crossbar when La Dea took the lead, with Ademola Lookman’s strike deflecting in off the unlucky Samuel Gigot.
Lookman then turned supplier as Atalanta stretched their benefit seven minutes after the break, teeing up Matteo Ruggeri for a rasping end into the top-right nook.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s males had been in a position so as to add some gloss to the scoreline on the dying, with El Bilal Toure’s pinpoint end giving Pau Lopez no likelihood to spherical off a dominant win.
CHIUDETE LE VALIGIE, ANDIAMO A DUBLINOOOOO
PACK YOUR BAGS, WE’RE GOING TO DUBLIN #AtalantaOM #UEL #GoAtalantaGo pic.twitter.com/f2yv9PydVo
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) Might 9, 2024
