Advertisement
Sevilla won their record seventh Europa League title on Wednesday night, defeating Roma 4-1 on penalties after the match had finished 1-1 after extra time.
The Spanish side took the lead in the first half through Erik Lamela’s own goal, but Roma equalized through Tammy Abraham’s header early in the second half.
Neither side was able to find a winner in extra time, and the match went to penalties.
Sevilla were perfect from the spot, with Gonzalo Montiel, Lucas Ocampos, Ivan Rakitic, and Munir El Haddadi all scoring their penalties.
Roma missed their first two penalties, through Lorenzo Pellegrini and Jordan Veretout, before Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored.
But Montiel then stepped up to score the winning penalty, sending Sevilla wild with joy.
It was a fitting end to a memorable season for Sevilla, who have now won the Europa League more times than any other team.
The Spanish side also won the UEFA Super Cup in August, and they will be hoping to challenge for the Champions League title next season.
The match
The match started at a frantic pace, with both teams creating chances.
Sevilla took the lead in the 21st minute when Lamela turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Diego Carlos.
Roma responded well, and they equalized in the 50th minute when Abraham headed in from close range.
The match remained evenly balanced after that, with neither side able to find a winner in normal time.
In extra time, both teams had chances to win the match, but neither was able to take them.
The match went to penalties, and Sevilla were clinical from the spot, scoring all four of their penalties.
Roma missed their first two penalties, and although Mkhitaryan scored their third, it was not enough to prevent Sevilla from winning.
The reaction
Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui was delighted with his team’s performance.
“I am very proud of my players,” he said. “They have worked so hard all season, and they deserve this victory.
“We knew that Roma would be a tough opponent, but we were able to overcome them.
“This is a great achievement for Sevilla, and we are all very happy.”
Roma coach Jose Mourinho was disappointed with the result, but he praised his players for their performance.
“We lost on penalties, but I am proud of my players,” he said. “They gave everything they had.
“Sevilla were the better team on the night, but we were not far away.
“I am sure that we will be back stronger next season.”
The future
Sevilla will now be looking to build on their success next season.
They will be hoping to challenge for the Champions League title, and they will also be looking to defend their Europa League title.
Roma, meanwhile, will be hoping to bounce back from this defeat.
They have a young and talented squad, and they will be hoping to challenge for trophies in the years to come.
The legacy
This victory will be remembered as one of the greatest in Sevilla’s history.
It is their seventh Europa League title, and it puts them ahead of both Inter Milan and Juventus in the all-time list.
This victory will also give Sevilla a huge boost of confidence ahead of the new season.
They will be hoping to challenge for the Champions League title, and they will also be looking to defend their Europa League title.
This is a great achievement for Sevilla, and they will be hoping to build on their success in the years to come.
