Sevilla won their seventh Europa League title on penalties after Gonzalo Montiel, the man who scored the winning spot-kick in the World Cup final, struck the decisive blow again from 12 yards.
It was not a memorable occasion for any neutral as the two sides drew 1-1 in normal time before cancelling each other out in extra-time. Perhaps it was always going to end this way. Jose Mourinho, the master of European finals, up against Sevila, the kings of the Europa League and after 120 minutes - absolutely nothing to separate them.
English referee Anthony Taylor had to deal with a vociferous atmosphere inside the Puskas Arena in Budapest but coped fairly well as both benches tried to bully their way to the title. There were fouls and yellow cards galore, and one moment of quality from Roma in the first half.
READ MORE:
- Mauricio Pochettino: Myth must give way to reality
- Transfer sagas that will dominate the summer
- Champions League final odds*
After Ivan Rakitic claimed he was fouled in the centre circle, Gianluca Mancini picked up the ball and threaded a perfect through ball to Paulo Dybala who found the finish with his left foot from inside the box. It was the goal Roma desperately wanted and given the last person to score against a Jose Mourinho team in a European final was Henrik Larsson the trophy looked destined for the Italian capital.
Sevilla may have had Bono in goal but Roma and Dybala had the Edge heading into the break and in what was one of the most passionate finals we have seen on the touchline and on the pitch, credit must be given to Anthony Taylor. The referee got most decisions spot on, including one where he booked Lorenzo Pellegrini for diving in the Sevilla box. It didn’t go down with Jose Mourinho or his staff, who were left absolutely furious on the touchline, but he got it bang on. Michael Oliver was the poor man nominated to be fourth official on a night where both benches complained and tried to put pressure on the officials. They stood firm.
Rakitic thumped one against the post in first half stoppage time as a warning sign to the Italian side but they couldn’t heed it. A double change for Sevilla that saw Suso and Erik Lamela introduced at half-time paid off as the early pressure in the second saw Jesus Navas whip a ball in that Mancini turned into his own net. It brought the final to life and 7315 days after Henrik Larsson scored against Mourinho's Porto in the UEFA Cup Final in Seville, his side finally conceded again in a European final.
A goalmouth scramble saw Tammy Abraham denied from close range but it looked like Sevilla had a chance to win it when Taylor pointed to the spot. However, on second look the referee correctly determined that Ibanez got a touch on the ball. It only further enraged the Roma bench, while they were even angrier when they were denied a penalty of their own for handball. Belotti volleyed one wide from a clever free-kick but that was that for normal time, and predictably, the game headed to extra-time.
The extra 30 minutes didn’t produce much as both teams tried to avoid any mistakes. Only Chris Smalling’s late header that bounced off the crossbar was worthy of note and just as we saw in two of the play-off finals over the weekend, this one would be decided by the spot.
Ocampos took first for Sevilla in front of their own fans. Scored. Cristante levelled for Roma.
Lamela put Sevilla 2-1 up. Mancini’s effort was saved by Bobo as Sevilla took the advantage.
Rakitic scored to heap the pressure on the Italians. Ibanez struck the post. Montiel, the man who scored the winning spot-kick in the World Cup final, saw his effort saved by Rui Patricio but the Portuguese keeper had strayed off his line.
Retake.
This time, Montiel made no mistake, the fans rushed onto the pitch to celebrate as they won their seventh title. No other side has won more than three and in the end, even Mourinho's magic couldn’t stop the kings of the Europa League. Spanish teams have now faced non-Spanish teams in 18 European finals since 2001. They have won all 18 finals.
And this competition still belongs to Sevilla.
*18+ | Be Gamble Aware
