11 May,2024 07:43 AM IST | Leverkusen | AFP
Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso after their win over Roma in Leverkusen on Thursday. Pic/AFP
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.
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.
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Meanwhile, Atalanta claimed the biggest win in their history after sweeping aside Marseille 3-0 and booking a place in the Europa League final. Goals from Ademola Lookman, academy product Matteo Ruggeri and El Bilal Toure put Atalanta through to their first ever European final with a 4-1 aggregate win in front of delirious fans in Bergamo.
Atalanta's passage to the Dublin final, where they will face Bayer Leverkusen, later this month was fully deserved after a dominant performance in which Marseille barely had a kick in yet another poor away display.
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