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Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou shines as Sevilla wins 7th Europa League title

Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was named player of the match after he saved twice in a penalty shootout to help secure Sevilla their seventh UEFA Europa League title.
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Bounou shot to international fame as one of the stars of Morocco's historic run to the semi-finals of the Qatar World Cup last year [UEFA via Getty]

Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou proved a hero for SevillaÌýon Wednesday night as he saved twice in a penalty shootout to help secure the Spanish side their seventh UEFA Europa League title.

Sevilla beatÌýRoma 4-1 on penalties in Budapest,Ìýafter a bad-tempered but gripping match went to a shootout at a raucous Puskas Arena.

The game had finished 1-1 following extra-time after Paulo Dybala's opener was earlier cancelled out by an own goal from Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.

The first three penalties in the shootout were converted, but Bounou saved penalties from Mancini and pushed Ibanez's effort onto the post to put theÌýSpanish side 3-1 ahead.

Sevilla's Gonzalo Montiel scored the team's fourth in the shootout to win them the title.

Bounou was named for his efforts. He celebrated his team's victory with Morocco's national flag wrapped around his waist.

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The 32-year-oldÌýgoalkeeper, nicknamed 'Bono', has played for Sevilla since 2020, but he rose to new levels of international fame as one of the stars ofÌýthe Morocco national team's astonishing run to the Qatar World Cup semi-finals last year.

Morocco became the first Arab or African team to ever have made the tournament's last four.

Sevilla, 11th in La Liga with one match left in the season, will play in the Champions League next season.

There were 13 yellow cards awarded in Wednesday night's match, the most ever in a UEFA Europa League game.

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