Sevilla won a record-extending seventh Europa League title, defeating AS Roma 4-1 via penalties after a 1-1 draw in extra time. The star of the match was goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who saved two penalty kicks from Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibanez. Sevilla scored all their penalties flawlessly.
Bounou 🔥🔥🔥@hankookreifen | #UELPOTW pic.twitter.com/MZIVgELWun
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) June 1, 2023
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Despite finishing outside the top four in LaLiga, Sevilla’s victory in the final ensures their participation in the next season’s Champions League. In the match, Sevilla initially fell behind after Paulo Dybala scored for Roma in the first half. However, they equalised in the second half when Roma’s Gianluca Mancini accidentally scored an own goal. The game went into extra time, before heading into a penalty shootout at the Puskas Arena.
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Gonzalo Montiel, who previously scored the winning penalty in the 2022 World Cup final, sealed the victory for Sevilla. He converted the decisive spot-kick. Mancini and Ibanez had failed to convert their penalties for Roma. Earlier, Dybala had put Roma in the lead in the 35th minute. However, Sevilla responded with the own goal from Mancini ten minutes into the second half.
The early stages of the match didn’t live up to the excitement in the stands. Roma had the first opportunity, but Leonardo Spinazzola’s shot was saved by Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. There was a moment when Roma appealed for a penalty after Tammy Abraham was hit on the head by Nemanja Gudelj’s high boot, but VAR confirmed it was not a foul.
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However, Roma took the lead shortly after, as Dybala capitalised on Mancini’s pass and calmly slotted the ball past Bounou. Sevilla picked up their game and came close to equalising during added time when Ivan Rakitic’s powerful left-footed strike hit the post. In the second half, Sevilla made substitutions, bringing on Suso and Erik Lamela, and they managed to level the score when Mancini inadvertently scored an own goal from a Jesus Navas cross.
🎵 Sevilla, Sevilla, Sevilla!#UELfinal | @SevillaFC pic.twitter.com/fSrnaOVhTG
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) June 1, 2023
Roma had opportunities to regain the lead, but Sevilla defenders blocked their close-range attempts. Dybala, who was playing his first match since April, was substituted for Georginio Wijnaldum. Sevilla thought they had a penalty when Ibanez brought down Lucas Ocampos, but the decision was overturned by VAR. In the 83rd minute, Roma had a chance to take the lead. However, Andrea Belotti missed the target with only the goalkeeper to beat.
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Extra time passed without many noteworthy events, except for some tensions between the two teams’ benches. In the dying seconds, Roma’s Chris Smalling nearly secured a victory with a looping header from a corner, but it hit the woodwork.
Sevilla held the advantage in the penalty shootout after Mancini’s penalty was saved, and Ibanez hit the post. However, the drama continued when Montiel’s penalty was initially saved but had to be retaken due to the goalkeeper’s encroachment. On the second attempt, Montiel successfully converted, securing the victory for Sevilla.
