Italian club beats Roma 4-1 on penalties after 1-1 stalemate in full time
\n BUDAPEST
\nSevilla found their Europa League magic formula on Wednesday, beating Roma 4-1 on penalties in Budapest to make it a perfect seven out of seven in finals in the competition.
\nThe game finished 1-1 following extra-time after Paulo Dybala\u2019s opener was earlier cancelled out by an own goal from Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.
\nA bad-tempered but gripping match went to penalties at a raucous Puskas Arena, with Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou proving the hero with two saves.
\nGonzalo Montiel, who scored the winning penalty in the 2022 World Cup final, netted the decisive spot-kick after Mancini and Roger Ibanez had failed to convert for Roma.
\n\u201cThis is amazing, I can\u2019t ask for more,\u201d Sevilla midfielder Erik Lamela told BT Sport.
\n\u201cThis feeling is unbelievable. We are going to enjoy it a lot. It was a tough game to play. Roma defend well and it was difficult to find spaces and create situations.\u201d
\nThe win is a remarkable achievement for 62-year-old Jose Luis Mendilibar, who only took over at Sevilla in March and is now celebrating his first major trophy.
\nBut defeat spells heartbreak for Roma boss Jose Mourinho, who has lost a European final for the first time after five successes.
\nThe fans created a crackling atmosphere before kick-off but the early stages of the game did not match the colour in the stands.
\nDybala repaid Mourinho\u2019s gamble on his fitness in the 35th minute when he latched onto Mancini\u2019s through ball from the centre circle, coolly slotting his shot past Bounou.
\nSevilla, finally finding some fluency, came agonisingly close to levelling deep into the seven minutes of added-on time when Ivan Rakitic drilled a fierce left-footed strike from distance that cannoned back off an upright.
\nMendilibar brought on forwards Suso and Erik Lamela for Oliver Torres and Bryan Gil at the break and the Spanish side began the second period on the front foot.
\nThey were level after 10 minutes when Mancini bundled a Jesus Navas cross from the right into his own net from close range.
\nRoma seemed certain to re-take the lead against the run of play midway through the second half but the Sevilla defenders somehow scrambled the ball away after several stabs at goal from close range.
\nDybala, starting a match for the first time since mid-April, was withdrawn, with midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum coming on to replace him.
\nSevilla thought they had a penalty with 15 minutes to go after referee Anthony Taylor ruled that Ibanez had brought down Lucas Ocampos but the decision was overturned by VAR.
\nRoma squandered a glorious chance to go back in front when substitute Andrea Belotti failed to keep his shot on target with only the goalkeeper to beat.
\nExtra-time was largely uneventful as tempers flared between the two benches but Roma defender Chris Smalling almost snatched the win when he hit the woodwork with a looping header from a corner in the dying seconds.
\nThere were 13 yellow cards awarded, the most ever in a UEFA Europa League game.
\nThe first three spot-kicks were converted but when man-of-the-match Bounou saved penalties from Mancini and pushed Ibanez\u2019s effort onto the post, the Spanish side had a 3-1 lead and appeared certain winners.
\nBut there was more drama to come.
\nMontiel\u2019s effort was saved by Rui Patricio but the kick was ordered re-taken after an encroachment by the goalkeeper and this time the Argentine made no mistake.
\nSevilla, 11th in La Liga with one match to play will play in the Champions League next season.
\nBut Roma\u2019s campaign could end with a whimper after the highs of winning the inaugural Europa Conference League last year.
\nThe Italian team are sixth in Serie A with one game remaining and there are major doubts over whether Mourinho will still be manager next season.
\n\u201cWe felt pressure against a team that has more talent than us,\u201d said Mourinho. \u201cWe lost a game but not dignity. I\u2019ve never gone home prouder than today, even when I won.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Italian club beats Roma 4-1 on penalties after 1-1 stalemate in full time BUDAPEST Sevilla found their Europa League magic formula on Wednesday, beating Roma 4-1 on penalties in Budapest to make it a perfect seven out of seven in finals in the competition. The game finished 1-1 following extra-time after Paulo Dybala\u2019s opener was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":334952,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-334929","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n