In one of the most astonishing penalty shootouts in recent European football history, AS Roma suffered a catastrophic collapse against French side Lille, missing three consecutive spot-kicks to crash out of the Europa League in dramatic fashion.
A Night of Spot-Kick Agony
The Italian giants saw their European dreams shattered in the most brutal manner possible after the quarter-final tie ended 2-1 on aggregate following a 1-0 defeat in regular time. What followed was a penalty sequence that will haunt Roma players and supporters for years to come.
Paulo Dybala, Bryan Cristante, and Gianluca Mancini all failed from 12 yards in a stunning triple collapse that defied statistical probability. The remarkable sequence saw Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier emerge as the hero, making crucial saves to send the French club through to the semi-finals.
From Hope to Despair
Roma had entered the second leg with a 1-0 advantage from the previous week's encounter in Rome, but found themselves on the back foot throughout the match in France. Lille's determined performance forced extra time and ultimately the fateful penalty shootout.
The collapse marks a devastating end to Roma's European campaign under manager Daniele De Rossi, who had been hoping to emulate the success of predecessor Jose Mourinho in European competitions.
Statistical Anomaly
Football statisticians were left scrambling as the unprecedented triple miss unfolded. The probability of three consecutive penalty misses by a single team in a shootout represents one of the rarest occurrences in the sport, particularly at this elite level of European competition.
As Lille celebrate their semi-final berth, Roma are left to ponder what might have been in a match that will be remembered for one of the most dramatic penalty shootout collapses in modern football history.
