Leverkusen stage another dramatic late comeback to reach final and break unbeaten record

Josip Stanisic scored a 97th-minute equaliser as Bayer Leverkusen earned a dramatic 2-2 draw at home against Roma to seal their spot in the UEFA Europa League final and keep their invincible treble dream alive.

Roma threatened to disrupt the Leverkusen party when Leandro Paredes put the Italians ahead from the spot in the first half before he scored a second penalty after the break to level the tie.

But a Gianluca Mancini own goal gave the hosts a chance to protect their incredible unbeaten run this season, which looked to be over until Stanisic drilled home a last-gasp effort to level the match.

Leverkusen won the tie 4-2 on aggregate and are now unbeaten in 49 games, which has bettered the longest unbeaten run since the advent of European competition, overtaking Benfica’s effort set between 1963 and 1965.

Incredibly, Bayer Leverkusen are still unbeaten this season despite being two goals down in the final 10 minutes of normal time. It feels inevitable that Alonso’s side will go on to become the German invincibles and claim all three trophies on offer in the process.

Mancini’s own goal was the turning point in the game. Leverkusen needed something to grab onto and that was the moment the momentum truly swung into Leverkusen’s favour. If that had not gone in, who knows? But once it did the tie was over and it was all about Leverkusen defending that undefeated streak.

Just as they had done on so many occasions this season, they kept pushing, kept persevering and with the final kick of the game, sealed the draw to etch their names into the history books.

It did not end well for the Roma goalkeeper and he made a crucial error which led to Mancini’s own goal, but he did absolutely everything in his power to prevent Leverkusen from scoring and he came close to succeeding while making some extraordinary saves along the way.

The Slovenian made an incredible 12 saves in total – including an emphatic double save – and kept Roma in the game for so long as Leverkusen battered the defence at times, but just could not find a way past the in-form shot-stopper.

However, there is an inevitability around Leverkusen this season and Svilar was a victim of that, as the Bundesliga champions struck late on to keep their incredible season going.

Leverkusen: Kovar 7, Tapsoba 7, Tah 6, Hincapie 8, Frimpong 8, Palacios 8, Xhaka 8, Grimaldo 7, Hofmann 7, Hlozek 7, Adli 7

Subs: Stanisic N/A, Kossounou N/A, Wirtz N/A, Schick 6

Roma: Svilar 9, Spinazzola 6, N’Dicka 6, Mancini 5, Angelino 7, Cristante 7, Paredes 8, Pellegrini 7, Azmoun 6, Lukaku 6, El Shaarawy 7

Subs: Smalling N/A, Abraham N/A, Bove 6, Zalewski 6

16’ – BIG SAVE FROM SVILAR! Palacios plays a neat one-two on the edge of the box with Hofmann before pulling the trigger, but his fierce effort is straight at the Roma goalkeeper who beats it away. Piero Hincapie sends the rebound well over the bar.

18’ – HUGE CHANCE FOR ROMA! Roma loft the ball into the box and Pellegrini is unmarked but he sends his header straight at Kovar! he couldn’t quite generate the power. What a chance for the Italians. They are definitely growing in confidence…

29’ – OFF THE POST! Palacios strikes the foot of the post with a low shot from the edge of the box! Leverkusen come within inches of taking the lead!

32’ – ANOTHER GOOD SAVE FROM SVILAR! Frimpong cuts inside on his left foot from the right and sends a curling effort towards the top left corner which Svilar does excellently to tip around the post.

39’ – GREAT DOUBLE SAVE FROM SVILAR! He’s a busy man tonight! Grimaldo cuts the ball back from the byline on the left and the Leverkusen players are queuing up to take a shot. Aldi’s strong effort to the left is emphatially beaten away by Svilar, before Hlozek’s follow-up effort is sent straight down the throat of the goalkeeper.

42’ – PENALTY TO ROMA! Jonathan Tah hauls down Azmoun in the box as the ball is crossed in and Danny Makkelie points straight to the spot! This could be huge.

43’ – GOAL!!! – LEVERKUSEN 0-1 ROMA (PAREDES): That is just what the visitors needed! Paredes slams the ball down the middle of the goal and Roma have the lead just before half-time! This is a totally different tie now.

64’ – PENALTY ROMA! Hlozek handles the ball on a cross, it is clear as day and Roma have the chance to double their lead and level the tie!

66’ – GOAL!!! – LEVERKUSEN 0-2 ROMA (PAREDES): Paredes tucks the ball away in the bottom left corner and the tie is level! Leverkusen’s unbeaten record is now under serious threat!

83’ – GOAL!!! – LEVERKUSEN 1-2 ROMA (MANCINI OWN GOAL): Wow! Leverkusen are back in front in the tie! The home side send in a corner from the right and Svilar comes out to claim but misses the ball, which turns into an empty net off the unsuspecting Mancini at the back post!

89’ – ANOTHER SVILAR SAVE! Frimpong sparks another rapid Leverkusen counter-attack and drives into the box to take the shot on himself, but is denied by the strong hand of Svilar.

97’ – GOAL!!! LEVERKUSEN 2-2 ROMA (STANISIC): They’ve done it again! Substitute Stanisic cuts inside from the right on his left foot and drills the ball into the bottom far corner to equalise for Leverkusen and send the BayArena absolutely ballistic! He keeps the unbeaten run alive! Incredible.

• Granit Xhaka created 10 chances from open play against Roma tonight, equalling the record for the most in a UEFA Europa League match (also 10 by Juan Mata in February 2010, for Valencia v Club Brugge).
• Bayer Leverkusen have had 98 shots across their last three home games in the UEFA Europa League, which are the only three instances of a team having 30+ shots in a game in the competition this season; 33 v Qarabag, 33 v West Ham and 32 v Roma.