Bayer Leverkusen snapped a new European unbeaten run of 49 consecutive games by securing a late draw against Roma to reach the Europa League final.
Josip Stanisic scored with the last kick of the game in the 97th minute to earn Xabi Alonso’s side a 2-2 draw on the night and a 4-2 win on aggregate.
Roma, who had lost the first leg in Italy but were much improved in Germany, equalized in the tie with two penalties for Leandro Paredes.
But a devastating Gianluca Mancini own goal gave Leverkusen the crucial edge in the two-legged semi-final – before Croatian defender Stanisic secured history with the latest in a long run of goals in Leverkusen’s late goals.
They have now gone 49 consecutive games without defeat in all competitions, including 40 wins.
It means Leverkusen, who were knocked out by Roma at this stage last season, better Benfica’s unbeaten run under Eusebio between December 1963 and February 1965.
That feat was the Portuguese giants’ longest unbeaten run since the advent of the European competition, according to UEFA – until this remarkable campaign in Leverkusen.
Alonso’s men, who are seeking a treble this season having won the Bundesliga title and also reached the German Cup final, will facing Italian Atalanta in the Europa League in Dublin on May 22.
Stanisic writes Leverkusen into history
![Leandro Paredes scores a penalty](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/5E4B/production/_133293142_gettyimages-2152232975.jpg)
![Leandro Paredes scores a penalty](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/5E4B/production/_133293142_gettyimages-2152232975.jpg)
The Leverkusen players took to the pitch at the end, wildly celebrating a remarkable achievement, which they could have secured much earlier in the evening if they had taken their chances.
They dominated the first half, with Granit Xhaka hitting the post from 22 yards before Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar pulled off a fine double save to deny Adam Hlozek and then Amin Adli.
But Roma took the lead midway through the match when Leverkusen captain Jonathan Tach dragged down Sardar Azmoun in the box, with Paredes smashing the resulting penalty into the middle of Matei Kovar’s goal.
The same pattern continued after the break, with Leverkusen having the best chances without scoring. Svilar continued to deny the Bundesliga champions, making a fine one-on-one save from Jonas Hofmann after the break.
And they were punished again when Hlosec handballed a Roma corner, allowing Paredes to step up and this time score low into the left corner.
Daniele De Rossi’s Roma looked set to force extra time until a nightmare moment with eight minutes remaining. Svilar, who made 13 saves and was otherwise excellent, pounced on a corner kick that flew between his gloves, hit an unsuspecting Mancini in the face at the far post and bounced into the net.
And the move to Dublin – as well as a place in the history books of European football – was confirmed when Stanisic cut in from the right and fired low, left-footed, past Svilar. It was Leverkusen’s 17th goal after the 90th minute in games in all competitions this season.
Leverkusen became the second German side to reach a European final this week, after Dortmund won the semi-final of the Champions League to arrange a meeting with Real Madrid at Wembley.
Lining up
B Leverkusen
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 17Kovar
- 12Hot potBook in 20 minutes
- 4TahReservation at 41 minutes
- 3Hincapié
- 30FrimpongSubstituted forStanisicin the 90′minutes
- 25Palasios
- 34Fireplace
- 20GrimaldoSubstituted forKossunouin the 90′minutes
- 7HofmannSubstituted forWirtzin the 81′minutesReservation at 89 minutes
- 23ChlozekSubstituted forSchickin the 74′minutes
- 21Adli
Substitutes
- 1Hrádecky
- 2Stanisic
- 6Kossunou
- 8Andrich
- 9Iglesias
- 10Wirtz
- 13de Matos Soares
- 14Schick
- 19Fees
- 22Boniface
- 32Puerta
- 36Lomb
Roma
Formation 3-5-2
- 99Svilar
- 23ManciniBook in 20 minutes
- 5Ndicka
- 69AngelinaSubstituted forSmallingin the 81′minutes
- 92El Sarawi
- 4Cristante
- 16ParadesReservation at 27 minutes
- 7PellegriniReservation at 21 minutesSubstituted forAbrahamin the 81′minutes
- 37SpinachSubstituted forZalevskyin the 21′minutesReservation at 29 minutes
- 17AzmounSubstituted forBovein the 72′minutes
- 90Lukaku
Substitutes
- 1Rui Patricio
- 2Karsdorp
- 6Smalling
- 9Abraham
- 14Llorente
- 19Steel
- 20Renato Sanchez
- 21Dybala
- 22Wow
- 35Baldanzi
- 52Bove
- 59Zalevsky
Live text
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End of match, Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2, Roma 2.
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End of second half, Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2, Roma 2.
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Target! Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2, Roma 2. Josip Stanisic (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. With the help of Granit Xhaka.
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Granit Xhaka (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Tammy Abraham (Roma).
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Attempt failure. Patrik Schick (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) left footed shot from over 35 yards is high and wide to the left. With the help of Josip Stanisic.
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Offside, Roma. Evan Dicka is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Corner, Roma. Odilen Kossounou conceded.
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Corner, Roma. Contributed by Jonathan Tach.
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Substitution, Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Odilon Kossunou replaces Alex Grimaldo.
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Substitution, Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Josip Stanisic replaces Jeremie Frimpong.
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Yellow card to Florian Wirtz (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Foul by Amine Adli (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Gianluca Mancini (Roma) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Jeremy Fribong (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the center of the goal.
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Offside, Roma. Gianluca Mancini is offside.
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Offside, Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Amine Adli is offside.
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Attempt saved. Amine Adli (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the center of the goal. Assisted by Granit Xhaka.
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Attempt saved. Jeremy Fribong (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Granit Xhaka.