Bayer Leverkusen had a dual reason for celebration in the dying moments of Thursday's match. Not only did they secure a spot in the Europa League final and maintain their pursuit of a treble, but substitute Josip Stanišic's late goal also upheld their impressive undefeated record, rescuing a 2-2 draw against Roma.
Both achievements appeared to be in jeopardy during the second leg of the semifinal, as two Leandro Paredes penalties put Roma ahead 2-0 on the night and leveled the aggregate score at 2-2. However, an own goal by Roma's Gianluca Mancini eight minutes from full time and Stanišic's equalizer extended Leverkusen's undefeated streak to 49 matches.
Leverkusen progressed with a 4-2 aggregate victory and will encounter another Italian side on May 22 in Dublin following Atalanta's 3-0 triumph over Marseille, securing a 4-1 aggregate win.
Granit Xhaka expressed his exhilaration to German television RTL, saying, "It's pure goosebumps! You dream of an atmosphere like this. You dream of games like this. As a kid, you want to be in these games, and then when you equalize just before the end and reach the final, it's incredible."
The preservation of their unbeaten record, which was on the verge of ending about 30 seconds before the final whistle, marked another improbable conclusion in a remarkable season for Xabi Alonso's team, who have already clinched the Bundesliga title and reached the German Cup final.
Leverkusen's equalizing goal marked their 17th goal of the season scored in the 90th minute or later across all competitions. It was also the third occasion they have managed to overturn a 2-0 deficit in the second half of Europa League knockout matches.
Roma, having lost the first leg last week, were aware of the daunting challenge ahead. Star forward Paulo Dybala was only fit enough for a place on the bench following an injury sustained against Juventus over the weekend.
Leverkusen had numerous opportunities to effectively secure the tie and came close in the 29th minute. A free kick was played across the edge of the box to Piero Hincapié, whose shot struck the left post, rebounded off Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar, crossed the goalmouth, and was eventually cleared by Evan Ndicka.
However, it was Roma who seized the lead two minutes before halftime with a Paredes penalty. The decision came after Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah was deemed to have brought down visiting forward Sardar Azmoun, who is currently on loan from Leverkusen.
Just moments earlier, Svilar had made an exceptional double save, and the Roma goalkeeper continued to showcase his heroics after the halftime break.
Roma earned another penalty in the 66th minute when a corner glanced off Bryan Cristante's head and Leverkusen winger Adam Hložek inadvertently touched the ball with his fingertips.
Paredes maintained his composure to slot the penalty into the bottom left corner, sending the visiting fans into a frenzy.
Just when it seemed the match was headed towards extra time, Leverkusen found the crucial goal they needed to advance. Alex Grimaldo's corner from the right side bounced off Mancini at the far post and crossed the line.
Leverkusen had developed a knack for maintaining their undefeated streak with late goals in stoppage time recently, but this time they waited even longer. Substitute Stanišic, who entered the game in the 90th minute, made a decisive move, cutting inside and striking into the bottom far corner in the seventh minute of added time.
"It's definitely up there," Stanišic remarked to RTL when questioned about whether it was the biggest moment of his career. "I think it just demonstrates the character of this team, the fact that we managed to come back and secure a 2-2 draw in the end."
"I don't think we would have minded losing and still advancing because reaching the final was our main objective, but winning it this way is even better."
ATALANTA-MARSEILLE
After eliminating Liverpool in the quarterfinals, Atalanta secured their first European final berth with a commanding victory over former European champions Marseille.
Amid numerous opportunities, Ademola Lookman gave the hosts the lead after half an hour in the second leg in Bergamo, with a shot deflecting into the net off Marseille captain Samuel Gigot.
Lookman then provided the assist for Matteo Ruggeri in the second half to double the advantage, and substitute El Bilal Toure sealed the victory in stoppage time.
Atalanta's most notable achievement in European competition prior to this was reaching the semifinals of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1988.
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