Sevilla have won the 2022/23 Europa League, defeating Roma in the final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. The match finished 1-1 after 120 minutes, with Los Nervionenses winning 4-1 in the penalty shoot-out.
The first half was a rather uneventful affair, with both sides cancelling each other out. Sevilla had the majority of possession, although they failed to test Rui Patricio in the Roma goal.
However, it was the Italian side that opened the scoring after 35 minutes, with Gianluca Mancini releasing Paulo Dybala with a brilliant through ball, and the Argentine finished beyond Bono to give Roma the lead.
Roma led at half time, but Sevilla came out flying in the second period and they equalised 10 minutes into the half. Mancini went from hero to zero, turning Jesus Navas’ excellent cross into his own net.
Sevilla dominated the vast majority of the second half, although Roma did have two big chances that fell to Roger Ibanez and Andrea Belotti respectively, although neither were able to score.
The two teams could not be separated after 90 minutes, so extra time was required at the Puskas Arena. However, very little happened during the extra half hour, which meant that penalties were needed to decide the winner.
Both teams scored their first penalties, but while Sevilla scored their next two, Bono saved Roma’s second and third efforts, meaning that Gonzalo Montiel had the opportunity to score the winning penalty, much like in the World Cup final, and he did just that.
Winning penalty at the World Cup! ✅
Winning penalty in the #UELfinal! ✅It may have taken him two attempts today but Gonzalo Montiel got his winner! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/dznJ7AakZw
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 31, 2023
تابع الحساب الاساسي : @i_Carl0 pic.twitter.com/UUQUDnZPZF
— تابع الحساب الاساسي i_carl0@ (@JocelynVyn29353) May 31, 2023
Sevilla have now extended their record as the most successful side in Europa League history, and it is a fairytale ending for Jose Luis Mendilibar, who has won the first major honour of his career, just over two months after taking over from Jorge Sampaoli.
