"Super Sub" Stanisic the hero as Leverkusen set up Atalanta Showdown in Dublin

 Friday 10 May 2024

UEFA Europa League 2023/24

1st Semi-Final Second Leg

BayArena, Bismarckstraße 122-124, 51373 Leverkusen, Germany

"Super Sub" Stanisic the hero as Leverkusen set up Atalanta Showdown in Dublin

Bayer Leverkusen set a new record for 49 games unbeaten this season as Stanisic's late leveller preserved their unbeaten run to set up a final showdown with Atalanta in Dublin.

    MATCH PREVIEW:

The pressure is on Daniele De Rossi and Roma. With the first leg ending 2-0 in favour of the new Bundesliga winners, it's time for the second leg at the BayArena at the West part of Germany. A draw is needed for Xabi Alonso's side, thanks to goals from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich in Rome. Coming into this game, the hosts are hungry and ready to score more, following their magnificent 5-1 away win over Eintracht Frankfurt, with a variety of people scoring. Whereas Roma, drew at home to Juventus, 1-1. Who will face off Atalanta in Dublin, will it be the unbeaten Leverkusen, who are looking to set a new record for 49 games unbeaten, or will De Rossi's Roma make a stunning comeback in Germany?

TEAM NEWS & Form Guide:

The home side make 6 changes from their 5-1 win at Frankfurt, with Kovar, Hincapie, Tah, Grimaldo, Frimpong & Adli starting in place of Hradecky, Andrich, Kossounou, Arthur, Tella & Schick. Formation: 3-4-2-1. Form Guide: DDDWW

Starting XI: Kovar, Hincapie, Tah, Tapsoba, Grimaldo, Xhaka, Palacios, Frimpong, Hlozek, Hofmann & Adli

Substitutes: Hradecky, Stanisic, Kossounou, Andrich, Iglesias, Wirtz, Arthur, Schick, Tella, Boniface, Puerta, Lomb.

As for De Rossi & Roma, 4 changes from their 1-1 home draw with Juventus, with Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Spinazzola, El Shaarawy & Azmoun start in place of Tomasso Baldanzi, Paulo Dybala, Diego Llorente & Rasmus Kristensen. Mile Svilar continues to deputise for Rui Patricio in goal. Formation: 3-5-2. Form Guide: LWDLD

Starting XI: Svilar, Angelino, N'Dicka, Mancini, Spinazzola, Pellegrini, Paredes, Cristante, El Shaarawy, Lukaku, Azmoun.

Substitutes: Patricio, Karsdorp, Smalling, Abraham, Llorente, Celik, Sanches, Dybala, Aouar, Baldanzi, Bove, Zalewski.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Florian Wirtz: What a season the youngster is having. Having returned from injury, he has been the magic man for Leverkusen alongside Patrik Schick. 22 goal contributions, the same as Alejandro Grimaldo, can the young German make something happen today?

Josip Stanisic: What on earth is Xabi Alonso cooking? This promising youngster has been a terrific super sub, he got the late leveller against Dortmund to preserve their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga, and can he do it this time in the biggest game for his club, the Europa League semi-final second leg?

Paulo Dybala: Arguably, Roma's best player so far this season, with goals and assists coming timely for his side. Even though his side drew against Juventus, can he come up with something special for his side tonight off the bench?

Romelu Lukaku: Not many people recognize him after he has been on loan at Inter from Chelsea. He has been Roma's best striker in the Europa League. 7 goals in 12 games, can he make an impact as a starter today for De Rossi's Reds?

KICK-OFF: FIRST HALF

Lukaku and Roma kick-off the first half at the BayArena. In a must-win game for the Red side of Rome, they have to be aggressive and keep the Bundesliga winners on the back foot throughout the whole game. Fun fact: Bayer Leverkusen have scored more stoppage time goals to either draw or win the game. But will the tide turn in Roma's favour? We will find out in the first half, as we see the Roma players targeting the Leverkusen goal, but Matej Kovar did well to save and deny the first goal. At the other end, Leverkusen were on the attack, but the Roma players were not happy, when Leonardo Spinazzola went down injured, which resulted in Tapsoba and Mancini getting into the book. Play was not stopped by the referee, as Frimpong's cross was cleared away for a corner by Evan N'Dicka. Nothing much from Leverkusen as they did have two chances from two free-kicks, but the Roma defence were alert and cleared away the ball, even Mile Svilar getting lucky, as the ball almost went in for a Leverkusen goal, but the ball bounced off the post and away it goes. Approaching the 30 minute mark and yet, no goals so far. As it stands, Leverkusen will be content with a draw as they did gain a 2-0 advantage from the first leg. What can De Rossi's side do? A big moment on 40 minutes. Swung in by Angelino, AND LUKAKU HEADS IT WIDE! BUT WAIT A MINUTE!! IT'S A PENALTY TO ROMA!! A TUSSLE BETWEEN TAH AND AZMOUN RESULTED IN THE IRANIAN FORWARD WINNING THE APPEAL. BIG MOMENT IN THE GAME, AS IT'S LEANDRO PAREDES, THE ARGENTINE TAKING THE PENALTY IN THE ABSENCE OF THE REGULAR TAKER, DYBALA. IT'S PAREDES, AND RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE GOES THE PENALTY!!! KOVAR DIVES TO THE RIGHT AND ROMA REDUCE THE DEFICIT IN LEVERKUSEN. AGGREGATE SCORE (2-1 to Leverkusen), with Roma leading by 1-0.

Paredes converted his team's first penalty and scored the first goal of the game.

Back in action, and what can die Werkself do to answer back? Not much, as the whistle has been sounded. HALBZEIT(Half-Time) in Leverkusen. A good lead for Roma, as they must score once to force extra-time, and twice to win and book their ticket to Dublin. 

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

Huge 45 minutes to go in Leverkusen as the hosts kick-off the second half. I bet that Jonathan Tah will be disappointed to have given away the penalty, and he will hope to put that aside and move on with the game. Here come the teams, with Roma on the counterattack with Zalewski, coming forward alongside Bryan Cristante, but Kovar again keeps the home side alive. And a massive moment arrived on 64 minutes. Now then, the Roma players are appealing for a penalty, as it caught a hand on the way through, but the referee, initially said no. But now, is advised to go to the pitchside monitor to check for a penalty to Roma. VAR check now. It did strike Hlozek's hand on the way, and it was in a natural position. And what does the referee say about it? PENALTY TO ROMA!! VAR overturns the original decision, and now gives the spot-kick decision in favour of the visitors. The responsibility rests now, on Leandro Paredes again. He scored once from the spot in the first half earlier. Can he get another one? YES HE CAN!! SAME PLACE, SAME RESULT. KOVAR DIVES THE WRONG WAY AND PAREDES HAS LEVELLED ROMA ON AN IMPORTANT NIGHT IN THE EUROPA LEAGUE!! 2-0 for the visitors, and now, it's 2-2 on aggregate! IS THIS THE END OF A LONG UNBEATEN RUN FOR LEVERKUSEN?!

Paredes converts his second penalty and scored Roma's second goal of the night

Surely Xabi Alonso has something up his sleeve to try and avoid losing at home. And they did find a way, because on 82 minutes, the tie was back in Leverkusen's favour. Corner for the hosts. GRIMALDO, AND IT'S IN! LEVERKUSEN ARE BACK IN FRONT ON AGGREGATE!! GRIMALDO'S CORNER CAUSING HUGE PROBLEMS FOR AS ROMA, AS THE UNFORTUNATE GIANLUCA MANCINI HEADS IN THE CROSS, INTO HIS OWN NET, AND SVILAR WAS HELPLESS. THIS WILL GO DOWN AS AN OWN GOAL FOR ROMA, AND THEY ARE BEHIND YET AGAIN! LEVERKUSEN ARE NOW 3-2 UP ON AGGREGATE, BUT ARE LOSING THEIR UNBEATEN RECORD for this season.

Mancini headed in Grimaldo's corner for an own goal.

What next then? More subs are on for the home side, with Kossounou and Stanisic on for the wing-backs, Grimaldo and Frimpong. And the drama continues. 7 minutes of added time. After constant Roma pressure, the hosts levelled the score. IT'S PING PONG EVERYWHERE AS LEVERKUSEN WIN IT BACK, XHAKA WITH THE BALL NOW. OHHH THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL PASS TO STANISIC, IN BEHIND THE DEFNECE, CUTS INSIDE, AND STANISICCC!!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT I HAVE JUST WITNESSED!! BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN ARE LEVEL WITH ONLY 2 MINUTES OF STOPPAGE TIME TO PLAY. ABSOLUTE MADNESS AT THE BAYARENA!! THE FANS ARE OFF THEIR SEATS AND CELEBRATING!! 49 GAMES UNBEATEN RUN IS STILL ALIVE!! WOW!!! BACK-TO-BACK GOALS FOR THE ON-LOAN CROATIAN DEFENDER!! HE SCORED AGAINST DORTMUND, NOW HE SCORES AGAINST ROMA, IN WHAT IS PROBABLY, THE BIGGEST GAME OF THE EUROPA LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL!! THIS MIGHT BE THE SUCKER PUNCH FOR ROMA!! HAS STANISIC PROVIDED THE KNOCKOUT BLOW, TO SEND LEVERKUSEN TO DUBLIN?! HE IS THE COOLEST MAN IN LEVERKUSEN, JOSIP STANISIC! ABSOLUTE SCENES HERE!! THERE IS NO WAY BACK FOR ROMA!! THEIR EUROPA LEAGUE JOURNEY IS ENDING HERE, WITH WHAT IS THE LAST KICK OF THE GAME!! THE XABI ALONSO CYCLE IS REAL!!

Stanisic remains ice cool in his celebrations as Leverkusen levelled the score.

AND THAT IS THAT!! THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE HAS SOUNDED AND IT IS THE HOME SIDE WHO WILL PROGRESS TO THE FINAL OF THE UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE 2024, AND THEY WILL PLAY ATALANTA AT THE AVIVA STADIUM IN DUBLIN ON THE 22ND OF MAY!! 

At one point, Leandro Paredes's penalties looked to have taken Roma into extra time, but Stanisic's goal  sends Leverkusen into the final, 15 minutes after Mancini's own goal. What a game we have witnessed. Fun fact, Leverkusen have now scored more goals after the 85th minute, which in fairness is outstanding, considering the fact that they were about to lose for the first time, since May 2023 in the Bundesliga.