Lille’s goalkeeper makes headlines by saving three consecutive penalties in the Europa League

In the Europa League League Phase that took place yesterday, goalkeeper Berke Ozer shocked spectators by stopping three successive penalty kicks, helping Lille earn a victory on the road against AS Roma.

Lille faced a challenging away match at Stadio Olimpico against AS Roma in the Europa League. Notably, left-back Calvin Verdonk, a player of Dutch-Indonesian descent, was trusted by coach Bruno Génésio to start the game. Verdonk’s presence attracted special attention from Southeast Asian fans, as he became one of the rare Indonesian footballers to compete on such a prestigious European stage.

Just six minutes into the match, Lille took the lead thanks to Hakon Arnar Haraldsson. The young Icelandic player fired a precise diagonal shot, leaving Roma’s goalkeeper with no chance to save. This early goal boosted Lille’s confidence and put Roma under intense pressure in front of thousands of fans in Italy’s capital.

AS Roma pushed forward aggressively for the remainder of the game. However, Lille’s defense, solidified by Verdonk on the left flank, held firm, significantly limiting the home team’s dangerous opportunities.

The unbelievable sequence began in the 81st minute, when Roma was awarded a penalty. Artem Dovbyk stepped up to take it but was brilliantly denied by goalkeeper Berke Özer. The referee then ruled a violation for encroachment, requiring a retake. Dovbyk took the second attempt, but Özer once again guessed correctly and made a spectacular save.

It didn’t end there; the referee allowed a third attempt. This time, Roma substituted the penalty taker, giving the chance to Matías Soulè. Yet the outcome remained the same: Özer dived to his right and punched the ball away in the 85th minute. Within less than four minutes, the Turkish goalkeeper became a true nightmare for Roma’s attackers.

Lille midfielder Nabil Bentaleb couldn’t hide his admiration: "Those penalties? They seemed endless. Berke made three fantastic saves; the whole team owes him a lot."

Lille coach Bruno Génésio also admitted: "What an intense finish. It’s the first time I’ve witnessed a goalkeeper save three consecutive penalties. So many emotions, and a well-deserved reward for the players after defeats against Lens and Lyon. We won, but we haven’t achieved everything yet."

Meanwhile, Roma’s coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed his disappointment: "I have never seen a team miss three penalties in a single match. We conceded a goal too early and allowed Lille to control the game as they wished. Roma fought with great determination, chasing victory until the final minute. But that’s football. We weren’t sharp enough to capitalize on our chances."

He added: "The penalties definitely affected the result. The entire team gave their all, and a successful penalty could have been a turning point. When you lose, everything is viewed negatively, but we also learned many lessons."

This victory gave Lille a perfect 6 points from two Europa League matches, maintaining their position within the top 8 of the League Phase. For left-back Calvin Verdonk, a solid performance against Roma’s strong attack surely made Indonesian fans proud. As for Berke Özer, his three consecutive penalty saves made him the center of attention across Europe on a night that will be remembered in Europa League history.

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