Leicester 1 Roma 1: Ademola Lookman gives Jose Mourinho a headache as Foxes get late leveller in Conference League semi
JOSE MOURINHO is already calling the Europa Conference League his own.
But the Roma coach, looking for major trophy number 26, still has plenty of work ahead if he is to appear in the May 25 final in Tirana.
Brendan Rodgers’ side will travel to the Olimpico next Thursday quietly fancying their chances of getting to a first ever European final.
Leicester recovered from an early set when Roma took the lead through skipper Lorenzo Pellegrini.
But Ademola Lookman scored the deserved equaliser and the Premier League side proved they have more than enough firepower to storm the Italian capital and rewrite their own history.
Mourinho, wearing a long grey coat which blended in perfectly with his hair, watched his team initially defend well with Chris Smalling organising the defence superbly.
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Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, meanwhile, could not add to his 24 goals for Roma despite still causing a few problems.
But Rodgers will take comfort from the fact that Lookman was a constant threat, James Maddison once again helped the team tick along and Harvey Barnes - a second-half substitute - helped the game swing back in Leicester's favour.
Rodgers’ team had all enjoyed the early pressure before being caught cold.
Nicola Zalweski had too much space down the left, he swept past Ricardo Periera and teed up skipper Pellegrini who shot first time through Kasper Schmeichel’s legs.
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Former Manchester United defender Smalling, who delivered a goal-saving block to deny Lookman, somehow avoided a yellow card for a bone-crunching tackle on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
In the second half, Lookman should have done much better with a free header from Marc Albrighton’s corner.
And Rodgers, forced into a first-half substitution when replacing Timothy Castagne with James Justin, could see that the game was drifting away so he made a double sub just after the hour and that changed the game.
Jamie Vardy looked off the pace so could have no complaints at being replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho. Albrighton, who also did not have one of his best games, made way for Barnes.
And within five minutes Barnes, full of energy, danced his way into a dangerous area and cut inside.
He attempted to play the ball to Iheanacho but it rebounded off Roger Ibanez and back into the winger’s path. Barnes took his time and picked out Lookman who scored with a left-footed volley although from some angles, it looked as though Gianluca Mancini got the final touch.
Iheachano could have sealed the win but was denied by Rui Patricio flinging a desperate right arm to the shot which was curling into the corner
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Schmeichel also did well to push over a powerful near-post shot by Sergio Oliveira after some terrific build-up play by Abraham.
Now back in the England squad, Abraham will be looking to fire Roma into the final but it would still be unwise to underestimate Rodgers’ men.