Sevilla overcome Mourinho’s Roma to secure Europa League

Sevilla won their seventh UEFA Europa League trophy after beating AS Roma in a penalty shootout to win Wednesday’s final in Budapest.

The Spanish club overcame Roma on penalties following a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Puskas Arena.

The Seville-based side won a record-extending seventh Europa League crown, maintaining a record of not losing in the final of the competition.

Paulo Dybala scored for Roma before an own-goal gave Sevilla a lifeline they used to perfection in the shootout.

Roma took the lead on 35 minutes when Gianluca Mancini’s through pass from deep was slotted into the far corner by Dybala.

Sevilla improved after going behind, with Ivan Rakitic’s 25-yard screamer hitting the post before restoring parity early in the second half.

An own-goal did the trick against a mean Roma defence, with Jesus Navas’ cross getting nudged beyond the Italian club’s goalkeeper by Mancini in the 55th minute.

The nasty affair riddled with play-acting, tackles, and pitch invasion by both benches went into extra time where both sides could not find a winner and had to settle for a penalty shootout.

Yaccine Bounou, the goalkeeper who was a key part of Morocco’s semi-final run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, proved the hero again with two saves in the shootout to help Sevilla to clinch the title.

Roma’s loss is Jose Mourinho’s first in a major European final, while Sevilla have defeated an Italian side in consecutive Europa League finals to claim the trophy.