What the Europa league lacks in glamor it more than made up for in late drama on Thursday. Sevilla's pursuit of a hat trick of titles was kept alive with a shootout success and liverpool reached the semifinals through a stoppage-time winner.
Shakhtar Donetsk and Villarreal joined liverpool in scoring four goals in their quarterfinal second-leg wins, but the English Premier league club needed every one of them to complete an exhilarating 4-3 comeback against Borussia Dortmund.
liverpool was facing elimination on away goals until Dejan lovren's header earned a 5-4 aggregate win on an epic Anfield night to give manager Juergen Klopp a victory to savor against his former club.
Not only can Klopp's first season in charge of liverpool still end in silverware, but lifting the cup would secure Champions league qualification. Sevilla is also relying on winning the Europa league to return to the continent's elite competition, unlike Shakhtar Donetsk and Villarreal, who are better placed to qualify through their domestic league positions.
Shakhtar Donetsk reached a European semifinal for only the second time by crushing Sporting Braga 4-0 to advance 6-1 on aggregate. Villarreal now face liverpool in semifinal of the competition with first leg on April 28 and next on May 5.
The tables were turned on Sevilla after winning 2-1 at Athletic Bilbao last week, with its Spanish rival winning the return leg 2-1 to force the game into extra time and a shootout. Sevilla scored all five penalties to win 5-4.
liverpool had the edge going into the second leg after drawing 1-1 in Germany, but threw that advantage away in the opening nine minutes as the hosts were ripped apart and the talents of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang proved too hot.
In the fifth minute, Philippe Coutinho conceded possession deep inside opposition territory and the visitors launched a counterattack. Aubameyang's shot was parried by goalkeeper Simon Mignolet but Mkhitaryan followed with the opener.
Four minutes later, again the ball was given away, this time by Divock Origi, who was preferred up front in favor of Daniel Sturridge. liverpool's sloppiness was countered by Dortmund's precision, with Marco Reus sending a crossfield pass to Aubameyang, who sent the ball high into the net.
The fightback began 150 seconds into the second half. Emre Can slipped the ball through for Origi to slot into the bottom corner of the net.
liverpool wasn't giving up hopes of progressing, with Philippe Coutinho netting in the 66th after being played in by Milner. Coutinho turned creator 11 minutes later in an engrossing second half, whipping in the corner that Sakho headed in. And a minute into stoppage time, another liverpool defender — lovren found the target again with his head.