Sevilla beat Mourinho’s Roma on penalties to win seventh UEL title
Sevilla beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to win their seventh UEFA Europa League title.
AS Roma started the match brightly, with Jose Mourinho’s side looking to break quickly and get the ball forward into wide areas.
The Italians had the first big chance of the evening after 11 minutes but couldn’t make it pay. Zeki Celik smartly pulled the ball back for Leonardo Spinazzola who struck his effort on target at a comfortable height for Bono to save.
Mourinho’s side made the breakthrough after 35 minutes thanks to Paulo Dybala. The Argentine, who was a doubt for the match, latched onto Gianluca Manicini’s through ball before firing his effort low past Bono.
Sevilla started to push forward towards the end of the first half and had two big chances to level the score. Fernando fired a free header over the bar in the 44th minute and then five minutes later Ivan Rakitic fired a vicious effort which cannoned off the inside of the post.
The Spanish side emerged for the second half the much better team, putting pressure on the Roma goal from the start.
Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side needed just 10 minutes following the break to score an equaliser. Jesus Navas whipped in an inviting ball aiming for a Sevilla body but the ball was bundled in by Gianluca Mancini for a Roma own-goal.
Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot for a Sevilla penalty 15 minutes from time after Lucas Ocampos was brought down but the spot kick was chalked off following a VAR check.
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With the two teams locked at 1-1 the match went into extra time.
It was a period of extra time that featured very little in the way of clear-cut chances and featured plenty of breaks in play and disruption.
Chris Smalling fired a header towards goal which clipped the crossbar and that was the closest either side came to winning the match in extra time and the match went to a penalty shootout.
After Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibanez missed their penalties for Roma, Gonzalo Montiel stepped up to score Sevilla’s winning penalty and send his side into seventh heaven.