LOOK WHO COMES TO FOXES’ RESCUE
Ade helps to set up Brendan’s battlers for Italian job
THE inaugural European Conference League may not be the continent’s top competition – but Leicester continue to fight hard to try and lift it.
The FA Cup holders came from behind to memorably win away in Eindhoven this month after being held at home.
And they recovered here too from falling behind to Lorenzo Pellegrini’s early opener to comeback against Jose Mourinho’s men.
Ademola Lookman, with some help from Gianluca Mancini, got the ball in the net 23 minutes from time as Leicester will head to Rome next week with the semi-final in the balance. Mourinho (right, with Brendan Rodgers) is bidding to land Roma’s first European trophy in 61 years and had the visitors well organised.
But Leicester boasted the best player in the pitch in James Maddison who turned in another masterclass, full of positivity and creativity on the big stage.
Leicester included fit-again striker Jamie Vardy for just his second start of 2022 after a knee injury.
He helped the Foxes get off to a fast start as he won an early corner which Timothy Castagne headed wide at the back post. But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in the 15th minute down the left flank.
Nicola Zalewski collected a crossfield ball from Nicolo Zaniolo and raced clear before picking out skipper Pellegrini to score with a first time low left-foot finish from just inside the box.
Leicester took a while to regain their composure but began to claw their way back into the contest against a more experienced Italian side.
Lookman had a shot blocked and Maddison curled a leftfoot effort over the bar from the edge of the area. Play was halted briefly in the 31st minute to allow the hosts’ French defender Wesley Fofana to break his fast.
But Leicester soon continued on the offensive as Lookman hit the target to test ex-wolves keeper Rui Patricio with a fierce right-foot shot from 20 yards.
The hosts finished the half strongly with Maddison putting two efforts over and a free-kick into the wall.
Just like he did in Eindhoven to turn City’s quarter-final around, boss Rodgers rolled the dice early in the second half with a double substitution as Vardy tired on his return. Harvey Barnes, who was replaced at the break in Holland, came on to spark an equaliser with some direct play down the left.
He got to the byline and crossed for Lookman to stab goalwards, with his shot deflected in by Mancini in the 67th minute.
Leicester might have snatched a winner late on, but Patricio did well diving to his right to push Kelechi Iheanacho’s shot around the post.
Home captain Kasper Schmeichel had to be alert to turn aside a shot from substitute Sergio Oliveira after great play by former Chelsea frontman Tammy Abraham.