Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 AS Roma (4-2 agg): Leverkusen produce another late comeback to draw with Roma and progress to Europa League Final

Bayer Leverkusen staged a remarkable late comeback to advance to the Europa League final with a 2-2 draw at home to AS Roma on Thursday, winning 4-2 on aggregate and establishing the longest unbeaten streak in all competitions, including European matches.

Leverkusen trailed 2-0 in the 82nd minute before Roma defender Gianluca Mancini scored an own goal and late substitute Joseph Stanisic levelled the score after Leandro Paredes converted two penalties for the visitors.

Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who have also advanced to this month's German Cup final in their pursuit of a treble, played their 49th match without defeat, breaking Benfica's record set in 1963-65, but they had to battle in the semi-final second leg.

Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen, who have won 40 games in their unbeaten run, will face Atalanta in the May 22 final in Dublin, after the Italians defeated Olympique Marseille.

It will be Leverkusen's third European final, having won their only continental title in 1988 with the UEFA Cup and losing in the 2002 Champions League final.

"For the mentality we showed again today against a big team to come back like this and go through to the final. We are more than happy today," said Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka.

"You see the desire from the team, we didn't want to slow down. We wanted to score the next goal to keep going unbeaten, 49 times now. We are proud of it."

"Roma is a team that has a lot of experience and they do things very well but I think over two games the better team has gone to the final," he told TNT Sports.

Leverkusen entered the match with a 2-0 lead over Rome, thanks to goals from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich the previous week.

The Italians knew they had a mountain to climb after losing the first leg, but they maintained their composure in an evenly contested match in which Leverkusen gradually took control.

Leverkusen's Exequiel Palacios hit the post just before halftime, and the rebound deflected off Roma keeper Mile Svilar's back, but Evan Ndicka cleared the danger.

Svilar then made another acrobatic save just before the break, denying Amine Adli and then blocking his rebound.

Despite Leverkusen's pressure, Roma took the lead with a penalty from Paredes shortly before halftime after Jonathan Tah fouled Sardar Azmoun. Paredes converted another penalty kick in the 66th minute after Adam Hlozek handled.

With eight minutes remaining, a Leverkusen corner caused confusion in the visiting defence, including the previously excellent Svilar, resulting in defender Mancini inadvertently deflecting the ball into his own goal at the far post.

Late substitute Stanisic then equalised for Leverkusen deep into stoppage time with a skillful move into the box, delighting the ecstatic home fans and leaving Roma distraught.

"It was a heroic performance but Leverkusen are a really strong team," Roma boss Daniele De Rossi told Sky Sports Italia.

"I thought our performances in both legs were good. We didn’t have enough shots on goal and sometimes that can make the difference, but the players were incredible."

SportsLigue