PARIS: Gianluca Mancini’s second-half own goal allowed Leicester City to draw 1-1 with Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final on Thursday, while Feyenoord got the better of Marseille in a five-goal thriller.
Mancini got the final touch midway through the second half as he tried to stop Ademola Lookman turning in a low ball driven into the six-yard box by Harvey Barnes.
That brought Leicester level in their first ever European semi-final after Lorenzo Pellegrini had given Roma an early lead at the King Power Stadium.
The tie, which pits Mourinho against Brendan Rodgers, his one-time protege on the coaching staff at Chelsea, is now poised ahead of next week’s return in Italy.
“I thought we played ever so well, really dominated the game, and I am very pleased with the performance,” Rodgers told broadcaster BT Sport.
Mourinho is hoping to add the new third-tier European trophy to his collection having won two Champions Leagues, a UEFA Cup and a Europa League during his managerial career, and Roma could not have asked for a better start.
They went ahead on the quarter-hour mark when Nicola Zalewski collected the ball on the left and powered forward before playing in captain Pellegrini to fire low past Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester goal.
Last season’s FA Cup winners, who dropped into the Conference League after going out of the Europa League in the group stage, were then dealt a blow as Timothy Castagne was forced off midway through the first half.
Lookman tested goalkeeper Rui Patricio from range just after the half-hour mark but it was the second-half introduction of Barnes that proved crucial in getting the Premier League side back on level terms.
Pakistan´s captain Babar Azam talks with his teammate Haris Rauf . — AFP/FileKARACHI: Pakistan’s former Test...
Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe looks on during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC...
Pakistan's Mohammad Asif plays a shot. — TheNews/Reporter/FileLAHORE: Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif has secured his...
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in action during his round of 16 match against Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo on October...
South Africa's Aiden Markram in action on June 29, 2024. — ReutersDURBAN: A four-match Twenty20 series against...
The Pakistan Sports Board building seen in this image. — APP/fileKARACHI: Pakistan Sports Board has asked Pakistan...