In the quarter-finals of the Europa League, thrilling matches determined the semi-finalists of the competition.
After defeating Benfica on penalties, Olympique faces Atalanta, who was defeated by Liverpool but secured their spot.
Leverkusen drew in the final moments, maintaining their unbeaten record, and advanced past West Ham to face Roma, who once again defeated Milan.
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Index
Europa League
West Ham 1-1 Leverkusen
After a 2-0 victory in Germany, West Ham scored early on, but failed to extend their lead and conceded a late equalizer.
At 10 minutes, Tella fired a powerful shot from outside the box, but Fabiański made a great save, tipping it over for a corner.
At 13 minutes, Bowen crossed, Kovář misjudged it, and Michail Antonio headed it into the net.
At 24 minutes, Kudus crossed, and Bowen found himself unmarked in the small area. He struck it first time, but Kovář made a spectacular save with his feet.
With Leverkusen dominating the first half, they came back stronger in the second half, playing like the team that has been captivating the world this season.
Five minutes into the second half, Frimpong initiated a lightning-fast counter-attack and delivered a perfect cross for Wirtz. The German hit it first time but missed the target.
At 20 minutes, Frimpong attempted a left-wing cross, but ended up directing it towards the goal, and Fabiański made a good save, tipping it over for a corner.
At 38 minutes, Leverkusen executed a swift counter-attack. Boniface passed to Frimpong, who surged forward from midfield, entered the box, found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but mishit the shot, squandering a great opportunity.
At 44 minutes, Stanišić passed to Frimpong in the box, who shifted onto his left foot and shot. The ball deflected off West Ham’s defense, deceiving Fabiański, and Leverkusen equalized.
With the draw, Leverkusen advanced to the Europa League semi-finals and reached an incredible milestone of 44 games unbeaten, becoming the team with the longest unbeaten streak in European football in the 21st century, surpassing Juventus, who went 43 games unbeaten in the 2011/12 season.
Leverkusen faces Roma on May 2nd at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roma 2-1 Milan
Roma took the lead in the first half, had a player sent off, but withstood the pressure and secured another victory over Milan.
Playing at home and buoyed by their fans, Roma started the match on the front foot. At 12 minutes, Mancini ventured forward and, after a challenge, laid it off to Pellegrini. The number 7 unleashed a beautiful shot that hit the post, and the defender was there to convert the rebound and open the scoring.
At 22 minutes, Roma initiated a quick counter-attack led by Lukaku, who, while contesting the ball, displayed his strength, leaving Gabbia sprawling on the ground. The Belgian managed to dribble past Hernandez and attempted to pass to El Sharaawy, but Milan’s defense cleared the danger. However, the ball fell to Dybala. With a precise and elegant shot, the Argentine doubled the lead.
The match seemed decided, with Roma leading 3-0 on aggregate, but at 31 minutes, Çelik was shown a straight red card after an unnecessary foul from behind on Rafael Leão, bringing Milan back into the game.
At 36 minutes, Rafael Leão surged down the byline and crossed for Loftus-Cheek, who headed it past Spinazzola. The Roma player managed to prevent a certain goal for the visitors. Despite making substitutions, Milan had little offensive production throughout the match.
Before the end of the first half, Pioli replaced Bennacer with Jovic. De Rossi responded promptly by bringing on Llorente in place of Dybala.
In the second half, Pioli made two more substitutions, introducing Chukwueze and Reijnders for Calabria and Loftus-Cheek.
Despite having a numerical advantage, Milan struggled to create chances, needing three goals to force the tie into penalties.
Gabbia pulled one back for Milan at 40 minutes with a powerful header, and the match ended 2-1 in favor of Roma.
Roma faces Leverkusen on May 2nd at the Stadio Olimpico.
Photo: Alberto Lingria / Reuters
Olympique 1(4)-0(2) Benfica
After winning in Portugal, Benfica was defeated on penalties at the Vélodrome by Olympique, bidding farewell to the Europa League.
The hosts applied pressure from the outset, and at 7 minutes, Ndiaye evaded the defense and took a shot from inside the box, saved by Trubin.
At 15 minutes, David Neres went to the byline and delivered a low cross, with Rafa Silva attempting a flick, but it went over the bar.
In the second half, the game picked up pace, and Olympique, needing a result, went all out against Benfica.
At 23 minutes of the second half, Harit crossed, and Kondogbia struck it first time, with Trubin making a good save without giving up a rebound.
At 28 minutes, Rafa Silva, inside the box, aimed for the left corner, López saved it, and on the rebound, Di María hit it into the ground, but the goalkeeper saved again, this time with his feet.
Olympique scored the solitary goal of the match at 33 minutes. Aubameyang went to the byline, crossed, and Moumbagna rose between the defenders to head it between the goalkeeper’s legs and score.
With the result, the match headed into extra time, and the score remained unchanged.
The tie was decided on penalties. Di María took the first spot-kick and hit the post.
In the final stretch, António Silva missed, and former Botafogo player Luis Henrique scored to seal the qualification.
Olympique faces Atalanta on May 2nd at the Vélodrome.
Photo: AFP
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool
After defeating Liverpool 3-0 in England, Atalanta was defeated at home but secured their spot in the Europa League semi-finals.
Liverpool needed to overturn a difficult deficit and started the match with intense pressure. At 5 minutes, Arnold attempted a cross, the ball hit Ruggeri’s arm, and the referee awarded a penalty. Salah stepped up, placed it into the bottom corner, and scored for Liverpool.
At 18 minutes, Scamacca delivered an excellent pass to Miranchuk, but the Russian failed to control it, and Alisson collected the ball.
At 38 minutes, Gakpo sent Salah through, one-on-one with Musso. The Egyptian attempted a chip shot but sent it over the bar.
At 40 minutes, De Roon played a beautiful pass to Koopmeiners, who controlled and scored, but was ruled offside, and the goal was disallowed.
The second half saw very few chances of danger.
Four minutes into the second half, Zappacosta crossed into the box, and the ball fell to Éderson with space for a shot, but the midfielder struck it weakly, and Alisson made an easy save.
At 12 minutes, Arnold delivered a free-kick into the box, and Van Dijk headed it into Musso’s hands.
At 15 minutes, Zappacosta made a good run down the right and passed to Koopmeiners, who struck from the edge of the area, saved by Alisson.
At 22 minutes, Zappacosta initiated a counter-attack and passed to Scamacca, who sent it over the bar.
At 46 minutes, Mac Allister delivered a free-kick into the box, and Darwin Nuñez headed it into Musso’s hands once again.
Atalanta faces Olympique on May 2nd at the Vélodrome.
Photo: Isabella Bonotto/AFP
Written by Henry Miller.
