UEFA Europa League: Azmoun helps Bayer Leverkusen into knockouts after penalty shootout win in Monaco [VIDEO]
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Loading...Bundesliga.com – MONACO, Bayer Leverkusen reached the UEFA Europa League round of 16 after beating Monaco on penalties at the end of an absorbing play-off tie.
Trailing 3-2 in the tie following defeat on home soil, Leverkusen survived an early scare when Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder drilled just wide of the post. Bayer’s riposte was immediate as Amine Adli drew a brilliant save from Bayern Munich loanee Alexander Nübel, before Florian Wirtz applied the finishing touch to Jeremie Frimpong’s cross for the opening goal.
Ben Yedder levelled from the penalty spot after Edmond Tapsoba was adjudged to have fouled Salim Ben Seghir, but Leverkusen were back in front within five minutes, thanks to Exequiel Palacios’ unerring strike from the edge of the area.
Staying on the front after the restart, Xabi Alonso’s men forged ahead on aggregate when Adli headed Wirtz’s cross past Nübel.
Ben Yedder responded with a fierce shot against the crossbar, before Bayer’s Mitchel Bakker had a goal ruled out for offside. Hlozek tickled the side netting and Lukas Hradecky kept Ben Seghir at bay in an edge-of-the-seat finale, with Patrik Schick thrown on in the final stages to help see the result over the line. However, a late headed goal from ex-Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Breel Embolo forced extra time.
Bakker was denied by Nübel’s outstretched leg and Hradecky made a flying save to prevent ex-teammate Kevin Volland from firing in a dramatic winner.
In the ensuing shootout, substitutes Sardar Azmoun and Nadiem Amiri put Leverkusen in control, before Eliot Matazo hit Monaco’s second spot-kick against the woodwork. Edmond Tapsoba, Schick and Moussa Diaby duly held their nerve as Bayer took their place in the last-16 draw alongside Bundesliga rivals and upcoming opponents Freiburg – and potentially Union Berlin.
