Sevilla beat Roma 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to win their seventh UEFA Europa League title
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.
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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.
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.
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.
TALKING POINT – SEVILLA IN SEVENTH HEAVEN
Tonight was an example of an unstoppable force taking on an immovable object. Jose Mourinho had never lost a European final and Sevilla had won all six of their previous UEFA Europa League finals. Tonight however, someone had to lose. Sevilla eventually came out on top to add another page to their incredible story in the competition – seven finals and seven titles. Even in a season where they have stuttered and struggled in La Liga, their form in their favourite competition has remained predictably ruthless. A fantastic achievement for the club.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – IVAN RAKITIC (SEVILLA)
The 35-year-old was brilliant tonight for Sevilla. In a match that lacked quality in certain moments, Rakitic added some much-needed calm and elegance on the ball for Sevilla. He made two tackles, one interception and blocked three shots. Everything his side did on the ball went through Rakitic, whether it be through his sensational long passes to bring his team up the pitch (12 completed) or through his short, crisp passes.
Sevilla’s players celebrate their team’s first goal during the UEFA Europa League final football match between Sevilla FC and AS Roma at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 31, 2023. (Photo by VLADIMIR SIMICEK / AFP) (Photo by VLADIMIR SIMICEK/AFP via Get
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Sevilla: Bono 7, Navas 7, Bade 7, Gudelj 7, Telles 7, Fernando 6, Rakitic 9, Ocampos 6, Oliver Torres 6, Bryan Gil 6, En-Nesyri 6. Subs: Suso 7, Lamela 6, Montiel 6, Rekik 6, Marcao N/A, Jordan N/A
AS Roma: Patricio 7, Ibanez 7, Mancini 6, Smalling 7, Spinazzola 6, Matic 6, Cristante 7, Celik 6, Pellegrini 6, Dybala 7, Abraham 6. Subs: Wijnaldum 6, Belotti 6, Zalewski 6, Llorente 6, El Shaarawy 6, Bove N/A
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
11′ THE FIRST BIG CHANCE OF THE MATCH! – What an opportunity for Roma. Celik pulls the ball back to Spinazzola who fires his effort at a comfortable height for Bono and Sevilla survive the first real scare of the match.
35′ GOAL – AS ROMA – Paulo Dybala has given AS Roma the lead! Mancini threads a brilliant ball into Dybala who fires an effort low into the corner past Bono.
44′ FERNANDO FIRES A FREE HEADER OVER – Fernando finds space behind Matic but can only divert his header over the bar. That is a huge chance for Sevilla.
45+6 RAKITIC STRIKES THE POST! – Sevilla go so close to scoring an equaliser! Ivan Rakitic fired an effort from a central position with his left foot which smacks the inside of the post.
55′ GOAL – SEVILLA – It’s certainly been coming! Navas whips in an inviting ball aiming for a Sevilla body but the ball goes in off Mancini for a Roma own goal.
67′ A SCRAMBLE IN THE BOX! – Roma will be asking how did that stay out! Pellegrini fires a good ball into the box, Tammy Abraham’s effort is saved and Sevilla manage to get it clear and Ibanez can only fire his effort wide.
120+12 SMALLING HITS THE BAR! -Chris Smalling powers a header goalwards from the back post which hits the crossbar
KEY STAT
Sevilla have won their seventh Europa League title, more than double the amount of the next-best teams in the competition (Inter, Juventus, Atletico and Liverpool all have three).
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