With a goal in the 96th minute from the Croatian Josip Stanisiche Bayer Leverkusen of Xabi Alonso invented the umpteenth ‘miracle comeback’ of this season to draw 2-2 at home against Roma, make good of the 0-2 victory they had obtained in the first leg and reach the final of the Europa League undefeated.
Two penalties, one in the 43rd minute and another in the 66th minute and both converted by the Argentine Leandro Paredes, complicated the tie for Leverkusen, who, despite having been the dominant team, He saw the income from the first leg disappear.
However, in the 83rd minute Leverkusen achieved the discount that already gave them the classification thanks to an own goal by Mancini after a corner kick. launched from the right by Jeremie Frimpong.
In stoppage time, in the 96th minute, Josip Stasinic scored the equalizing goal, with which Leverkusen not only secured its place in the final, but extends his streak without losing to 49 games in all competitions.
Once again the final stage, as so many times throughout the season, allowed Leverkusen turn around a game that he had dominated and in which he had had many good arrivals that he had not been able to achieve.
The two penalties, the first for a foul by Jonathan Tah on Azmoun and the second, sanctioned by the VAR, for a handball by Hlozek, threatened to turn the tie around.
Xabi Alonso made changes in response to the situation. Patrick Schikck and Florian Wirtz, who had started the match on the bench, relieved Hlozek and Jonas Hofmann. The game remained the same. Leverkusen pressed, generated arrivals and the injury goal was something like a fruit of insistence.
Already the goal from Stasinic, who had entered for Frimpong more to maintain defensive stability and the result than anything else, It was something that can only be explained through the spirit of a magical series without defeats.
The statistics sheet, beyond the tie, shows the superiority of Leverkusen who had ball possession from 60 percent and 32 shots on goal compared to 11 for Roma.
