Tag: Europa Conference League

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NICOLO ZANIOLO SCORES ONLY GOAL AS ROMA WIN INAUGURAL EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE

Nicolo Zaniolo scored the only goal as Roma sunk Feyenoord to clinch the inaugural Europa Conference League title in Tirana.

Zaniolo fired home from his side’s first chance in the 32nd minute as Jose Mourinho’s men sealed their first silverware since the 2008 Coppa Italia.

It proved a typical Mourinho-style triumph as Roma sat deep and soaked up plenty of pressure before cruising through the second half with the minimum of fuss.

The Dutch side, who last won the UEFA Cup in 2002, dominated the early possession but failed to create any meaningful chances and were punished when Zaniolo chested down a cross from Roger Ibanez and put his side in front.

Feyenoord keeper Justin Bijlow saved well from Chris Smalling before the Dutchmen ended the half with their first real chances from Orkun Kokcu and Cyriel Dessers.

Feyenoord maintained their momentum at the start of the second half and almost levelled when Roma defender Gianluca Mancini deflected a short corner onto his own post before Rui Patricio saved well.

Patricio also did well to tip a drive from Lutsharel Geertruida onto the post before a potentially pivotal moment after 54 minutes, when Tammy Abraham appeared to be fouled by Marcos Senesi as he looked to burst clear, only for the referee to take no action.

The impressive Smalling blocked a drive from Kokcu on the edge of the box then was in the right place again to stop a drive from Dessers as the minutes ticked by.

Lorenzo Pellegrini almost made it two for Roma before Feyenoord spurned a golden opportunity to level in injury time when Bryan Linssen missed a sitter from close range.

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TAMMY ABRAHAM DOWNS LEICESTER AS ROMA REACH EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE FINAL

Tammy Abraham broke Leicester hearts as Roma reached the Europa Conference League final.

The striker’s 27th goal of the season sealed a 1-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico and booked a showdown with Feyenoord in Tirana.

Jose Mourinho’s side progressed 2-1 on aggregate after last week’s semi-final first leg draw at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes fell short in their first European semi-final and there will be a lingering sense of regret they failed to seriously trouble Roma and never did themselves justice.

The club have torn up the rule book after winning the Premier League and FA Cup in the last six years but, this season, European success was just out of reach.

Roma have not won a European competition for 50 years, since beating Blackpool in the 1972 Anglo-Italian Cup but Mourinho will now look to complete the set after his past Champions League and Europa League victories.

Home fans had begun hurling flares at the Leicester supporters long before kick-off at a hostile Stadio Olimpico with the hosts looking to reach their first European final since 1991, when they lost the UEFA Cup to Inter Milan.

A pre-match banner declared ‘Everyone in Britain dreads the name of the Romans’ and Roma’s determination was obvious.

Leicester did have early protests for a penalty ignored when Chris Smalling hauled down Wesley Fofana but the ravenous hosts quickly took charge to grab an 11th-minute winner.

Kasper Schmeichel had already saved Lorenzo Pellegrini’s cute free-kick as Roma forced a number of corners and it was, again, from a set-piece where Leicester conceded.

Pellegrini’s dangerous delivery was met by Abraham and he outjumped Ricardo Pereira to power a towering header past Schmeichel from seven yards.

It was the striker’s ninth goal in the competition this season – with Alan Shearer and Stan Bowles the only Englishmen to score more in a single European campaign.

Shell-shocked, Leicester retreated and Pellegrini, scorer of Roma’s first-leg goal, was a constant menace with Jonny Evans mopping up after Schmeichel saved another effort.

Roma were in control having out-muscled and out-manoeuvred the Foxes and kept the visitors at bay even when they did have brief spells of possession.

Boss Brendan Rodgers had spoken about using the 72,000 sell-out crowd to Leicester’s advantage, hoping to play on any nerves and anxiety with Roma so close to ending a 14-year trophy drought.

But his slow side were never able to find sustained momentum to even get under the hosts’ skin on the pitch.

Frustrations with inconsistent referee Srdjan Jovanovic were growing but the Foxes’ first-half performance warranted little else than being behind.

Rodgers rolled the dice at the break with the ineffective Ademola Lookman and Harvey Barnes replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho and Daniel Amartey.

A double change at the break helped the Foxes overcome a second-leg deficit to beat PSV in last month’s quarter-final and immediately they were more robust but still lacked the imagination to level the tie.

Jamie Vardy did have a shot blocked by Abraham and the Foxes saw more of the ball, with James Maddison curling at Rui Patricio with 13 minutes left.

But a low-key second half suited Roma and, even though they created little themselves, they were always comfortable.

Iheanacho shot at Patricio from distance as time slipped away but, this time, there was no fairy-tale ending for the Foxes.

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Leicester hunt Roma scalp

The Europa Conference League semi-finals are delicately balanced going into Thursday’s second legs.

Feyenoord take a one-goal lead over Marseille to France and honours are even between Roma and Leicester after a tight first encounter in the East Midlands.

We take a closer look at tomorrow’s ties to see who is likely to book a spot in the Tirana showpiece.

A competitive first leg at the King Power Stadium has left the tie finely poised ahead of the Foxes’ trip to the Italian capital.

Jose Mourinho’s outfit took the lead early on before the hosts netted a second-half equaliser and then turned the screw, creating a number of late chances.

The two teams looked evenly matched and another stalemate to send it to extra-time is very much on the cards.

Both sides have drawn three of their last four in all competitions and this again looks likely to be a close affair.

A concern for Brendan Rodgers’ men will be the fact that they have lost three of their six away outings in Europe this season, including a 3-2 Europa League defeat in Italy to Napoli last December.

However, they did manage a spirited comeback on the road against PSV Eindhoven in the previous round so have it within them to reach a first-ever European final.

Keeping Tammy Abraham quiet will be key for the Foxes — the English striker has eight goals in the Europa Conference League this year and demonstrated his impressive link-up play throughout the first leg.

All in all, another score draw may well be the likely outcome when these two meet.

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ADEMOLA LOOKMAN EARNS HARD-FOUGHT DRAW FOR LEICESTER AS THEY HUNT SPOT IN FINAL

Ademola Lookman kept Leicester dreaming in Europe after a gutsy draw with Roma.

The striker’s ninth goal of the season will send the Foxes to the Stadio Olimpico for their Europa Conference League semi-final second leg next week locked at 1-1.

Brendan Rodgers’ side gave themselves a fighting chance in Italy after a spirited display, despite Lorenzo Pellegrini’s first-half opener.

They bossed Roma for long spells and will feel they can reach next month’s final in Tirana.

However, Leicester will be frustrated with a draw having started well, only to let their guard down once in the first half.

Jamie Vardy’s 19-minute cameo in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa allowed him to stretch his legs and his threat was evident inside the first two minutes.

Chris Smalling slipped under pressure from the striker, forcing Gianluca Mancini to clear behind the first of a flurry of Leicester corners.

From one, a stretching Timothy Castagne headed wide at the far post but Leicester’s bright opening was halted when Roma grabbed the lead after 15 minutes.

Nicolo Zaniolo’s crossfield pass found Nicola Zalewski and he was allowed to run unchallenged and slip in Pellegrini.

The captain had darted behind Wesley Fofana and, with Youri Tielemans failing to track him, fired his fourth goal in eight European matches this season through Kasper Schmeichel’s legs.

The Foxes lost Castagne, replaced by James Justin, to injury soon after and they briefly lost their way as Roma grew into the contest.

Yet the Foxes rediscovered their bite and Lookman twice stretched the visitors. First, Smalling expertly blocked Lookman’s shot before coming to the rescue of Rui Patricio after 34 minutes.

Lookman, this time on the edge of the area, again found space with Patricio parrying his drive and the goalkeeper needed Smalling to quickly clear ahead of a lurking Vardy.

Former Manchester United defender Smalling then clattered Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – again excellent for the Foxes – only for James Maddison’s free kick to hit the wall.

Maddison curled over five minutes before the break and the theme continued in the second half with Lookman completely miscuing a header over from six yards.

But the on-loan RB Leipzig forward had been the Foxes biggest threat and Roma’s resolve finally broke after 67 minutes.

Substitute Harvey Barnes made an instant impact as Roger Ibanez tried to cut out his pass into the area, only to play the ball straight back to the winger.

Barnes took full advantage and crossed for Lookman to bundle in from close range.

Buoyant Leicester looked for a second and Kelechi Iheanacho headed over under pressure while Maddison ramped up his influence.

The Foxes – by far the better side – kept their cool as they searched for openings and Patricio needed to turn Iheanacho’s curling effort wide after Tielemans robbed Bryan Cristante.

Yet they were almost undone with 10 minutes left after brilliant footwork and strength from Tammy Abraham teed up Sergio Oliveira and Schmeichel turned his effort behind.

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LEICESTER STRIKE LATE TO STUN PSV IN EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL

Ricardo Pereira’s dramatic late strike sent gutsy Leicester into the Europa Conference League semi-finals after they stunned PSV.

The defender’s goal with two minutes left completed a brilliant turnaround to seal a 2-1 win on the night in Eindhoven in their quarter-final second leg.

James Maddison had levelled the tie with 13 minutes remaining after Youri Tielemans’ error allowed Eran Zahavi to grab a first-half opener.

The Foxes will face Bodo/Glimt or Roma in the final four having reached the semi-final of a European competition for the first time in their history.

After last week’s 0-0 first-leg draw in Leicester, boss Brendan Rodgers felt PSV would be more open at home and the Foxes found some early joy but were reminded of the hosts’ threat after 14 minutes.

Philipp Max scampered down the left and crossed for the unmarked Mario Gotze to hit a volley which Kasper Schmeichel brilliantly turned over.

It was clear it would be far more open than the first leg and Leicester should have gone ahead two minutes later when Harvey Barnes missed a fine chance.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s pass sent the forward racing towards goal but, with Andre Ramalho for company, he rolled his tame shot a yard wide.

It was to prove costly as, after Schmeichel saved from Joey Veerman, Leicester self-destructed after 27 minutes to gift PSV the lead.

Tielemans’ poor pass fell straight to Gotze and he darted towards the area before feeding Zahavi. The striker found space and drilled an angled drive across Schmeichel into the corner.

Leicester had been sloppy when it counted most, at both ends, but they were more than equal to PSV, with Tielemans’ mistake the only real difference.

The Foxes remained undaunted and could have levelled after 33 minutes when Maddison’s drive hit Ramalho and looped over Yvon Mvogo, only for Jordan Teze to acrobatically clear off the line.

Chances came and went, with Timothy Castagne heading wide and Maddison firing over as the Foxes continued to prove they would find openings.

With 45 minute to save their European hopes, Rodgers sent on Ademola Lookman and Patson Daka for Barnes and Marc Albrighton at the break as he rolled the dice to reach the last four.

PSV, though, initially looked the more likely to add a second, with Veerman’s low drive fizzing wide, Tielemans presenting a chance to Cody Gakpo and Zahavi heading over.

But Leicester spurned their own glorious opening to level just after the hour when Lookman played Daka through and the striker drilled wide from the edge of the area.

Mvogo turned Maddison’s low effort wide soon after and the Foxes survived a huge scare when Ibrahim Sangare, found by Gakpo, held off Castagne but fired over.

Yet Rodgers’ men had been gaining momentum, with Maddison at the heart, and they levelled with 13 minutes left.

Substitute Ayoze Perez battled his way to the byline and showed excellent awareness to pick out Maddison, who swept high past Mvogo from 12 yards.

Tails up, Leicester could sense victory and, after Mvogo denied Perez, they stunned the Philips Stadium with a winner two minutes from time.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall slipped in Lookman and he crossed for Daka, whose shot was parried by Mvogo with the ball running free for Pereira to fire in the rebound and send the Foxes into dreamland.

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LEICESTER HELD TO FRUSTRATING DRAW BY PSV IN FIRST LEG OF QUARTER FINAL

Leicester missed the chance to take control of their Europa Conference League quarter-final after drawing 0-0 with PSV.

The Foxes head to Eindhoven next week without a precious advantage following an even and competitive first leg at the King Power Stadium.

Harvey Barnes hit the bar and Kelechi Iheanacho missed a golden first-half chance to give Leicester crucial breathing space.

Ultimately the Foxes were left frustrated in a combative encounter, although they needed Kasper Schmeichel to bail them out early when he saved from Mario Gozte.

Leicester’s last European quarter-final was their 2017 Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid. Then, they gallantly bowed out 2-1 on aggregate after two gutsy performances and this time they go to Eindhoven with the tie delicately poised.

Five years ago they were defiant in the face of the footballing elite and, after a disappointing early exit from the Europa League in December, the Foxes are three games away from their first European final.

They face a team second in the Eredivisie, but outgoing PSV boss Roger Schmidt, who will be replaced by Ruud Van Nistelrooy in the summer, insisted pre-match his side could not match Leicester’s individual talent.

He argued they needed to use their collective ability and the visitors nearly stunned the hosts after just two minutes.

The Foxes were caught napping at a throughball and Gotze had just Schmeichel to beat, but the goalkeeper – one of only two survivors from the starting line up against Atletico – saved well.

Initially Leicester failed to settle, with the lively Noni Madueke central to PSV’s early threat, but they gradually began to see more of the ball and wrestled a degree of control.

And they should have gone ahead after 20 minutes, only for Iheanacho to blow his chance.

Joey Veerman was closed down by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and he blocked his pass to send Iheanacho clear after outpacing Andre Ramalho.

The striker was left with just Yvon Mvogo to beat, but he dinked the ball wide.

It at least proved the openings were there for Leicester and Timothy Castagne was the next to threaten, but he failed to trouble Mvogo.

The Foxes were finding the space needed and they were millimetres away from going into the break ahead.

Again, Dewsbury-Hall was the instigator as he charged down the left and cut the ball back for Barnes to swap passes with Iheanacho and crash an angled drive off the underside of the bar from 12 yards.

The Foxes were the aggressors and PSV had lacked the imagination to unlock Leicester since Schmeichel’s early duel with Gotze.

The visitors did, however, make appeals for a penalty early in the second half when Ricardo Pereira slipped and appeared to foul Cody Gakpo, but referee Ivan Kruzliak was unmoved and there was no VAR to review.

Iheanacho drilled wide just after the hour and, as the game wore on, PSV were clearly happy to take the draw back to the Philips Stadium.

They took the sting out of the game and now Leicester must do things the hard way in Holland.

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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR OUT OF EUROPE AFTER UEFA AWARD RENNES VICTORY

Tottenham Hotspur’s European campaign for this season is over after UEFA awarded Rennes a 3-0 victory in their final Europa Conference League group match on Monday. Spurs were unable to fulfil the December 9 fixture due to a swathe of Covid-19 cases in the squad. As a result they finish third in the group behind group winners Rennes who progress directly to the last 16 and Dutch side Vitesse who now face Rapid Vienna in a knockout play-off.

“The Uefa Appeals Body took the following decision: to declare the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Stade Rennais FC, that was initially scheduled to be played on 9 December 2021, as forfeited by Tottenham Hotspur FC, who is therefore deemed to have lost the match 0-3,” read the UEFA statement.

The match in London had to be called off when Spurs manager Antonio Conte announced on the eve of the game eight of his players and five members of staff had tested positive for Covid-19.

Spurs have been one of the hardest hit English clubs by the resurgence of Covid-19 — largely due to the Omicron variant — having had to postpone league games against Brighton and Leicester as well.

However, unlike many of their domestic rivals, they were able to fulfil their fixture at the weekend — a 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

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TOTTENHAM SUFFER HUMILIATING DEFEAT TO SLOVENIAN MINNOWS NS MURA

Tottenham endured one of the most embarrassing nights in their history as they were beaten 2-1 by the lowest-ranked team in the Europa Conference League, going down 2-1 to NS Mura in Maribor.

New boss Antonio Conte will have watched on with horror as his side lost at the death to a team with a UEFA coefficient ranking of 341.

Even though they were reduced to 10 men just after the half-hour when Ryan Sessegnon was sent off, Spurs should still have had enough to see off opposition who had lost their previous four games in the competition and are mid-table in the Slovenian league.

Instead they lost to Amadej Marosa’s stoppage-time goal after Harry Kane had earlier cancelled out Tomi Horvat’s shock opener.

The defeat means Spurs will likely have to beat Rennes in their final game to be assured of qualification for the knockout stages and they can no longer qualify as group winners, meaning they will have to play an extra round.

It was another night of disappointment for those hoping for the chance to impress Conte, with Dele Alli particularly poor and not lasting beyond 52 minutes, and the Italian has further evidence of just how big a job he faces in north London.

The night started in difficult fashion as Tottenham endured what are now customary troubles on their travels in Europe.

Mura, who were only formed in 2012, forged ahead in the 11th minute as Horvat was set free down the right. He took advantage of Davinson Sanchez’s slip and cut inside before curling a left-footed effort into the far corner.

In Kane, Alli and Tanguy Ndombele, Spurs had enough individual quality on the pitch to hurt their opposition, but they were playing with no cohesion and inflicted more self-harm in the 32nd minute.

All the pre-match narrative had been about how this was Sessegnon’s chance to stake his claim under Conte, but he had a night to forget as he picked up a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Ziga Kous and was sent off.

Kane nearly brought the 10 men level five minutes later after a neat turn, but his shot from 12 yards went just wide.

In the end Spurs were lucky to get to the interval just 1-0 down as Nik Lorbek flashed an effort just wide with goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini rooted to the spot.

Conte had seen enough early in the second half and introduced Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura, Eric Dier and Ben Davies – and it almost paid immediate dividends.

Son went on a surging run into the penalty area, rounding several defenders before stinging the palms of Matko Obradovic, who made his first save of the evening.

From the resulting corner Kane should have equalised, but he directed a free header straight at Obradovic.

Spurs eventually found a leveller in the 72nd minute as Kane produced a nice finish.

Two Mura defenders left a Moura pass to each other, allowing the England captain to nip in and clip home in style.

Spurs pushed forward for a winner, with Moura drilling an effort over, but they never looked like winning and instead it was the Slovenians who capped a historic night.

Marosa was released down the right, he cut inside Sanchez and his deflected effort looped over a helpless Gollini to spark wild scenes of celebration.

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EUROPA: INJURY INFESTED TOTTENHAM SHARE DRAW WITH RENNES

Tottenham came from behind to draw 2-2 in their opening Europa Conference League Group G game at Rennes, but it was a costly evening as they suffered more injury problems.

In their toughest looking assignment of the inaugural third-tier European club competition, they went ahead through Loic Bade’s early own goal before the French team hit back either side of half-time through Flavian Tait and Gaetan Laborde.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s leveller earned Spurs a point, but Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura limped off and with a Premier League match against Chelsea in 72 hours, their attacking numbers look short.

Son Heung-min is already facing a race against time to be fit with a calf injury while Giovani Lo Celso does not get back from his quarantine camp in Croatia until Saturday, leaving Nuno Espirito Santo with a headache.

One man who might have forced his way into Nuno’s plans was Tanguy Ndombele, who was give his first appearance of the season after asking to leave in the summer.

It did not take Ndombele long to show Nuno what he was capable of as a sublime piece of skill created an 11th-minute opener for Spurs which capped an impressive opening.

Yards away from his manager in front of the technical area, the Frenchman produced an audacious off-balance back-heel to set a counter-attack going. Oliver Skipp passed to Harry Kane, whose incise first-time ball put Moura in clear and the Brazilian’s attempted cross was deflected into his own net by Bade.

That was as good as it got for Tottenham as Rennes began to take control of the game.

They should have had a leveller soon after as Benjamin Bourigeaud’s shot was beaten away by Pierluigi Gollini into the path of Adrien Truffert, but the left-back could not keep his header at an open goal down and it went over the crossbar.

Spurs did not get away with it for much longer as Tait levelled in the 22nd minute.

The midfielder played a one-two with Serhou Guirassy, left Ndombele and then curled a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Nuno’s side were on the rack and things got even worse when Bergwijn, back from an ankle injury, went off after appearing to suffer a recurrence.

Hojbjerg’s arrival steadied the ship and Spurs got through to half-time without suffering further damage.

Their plans went further array early in the second half as Moura limped off and was joined by Harry Kane, who was also taken off in a seemingly planned substitution with the Chelsea game in mind.

With them went Tottenham’s best chance of winning and they found themselves 2-1 down in the 72nd minute.

Rennes attacked down their left and Gollini spilled a low shot from Kamaldeen Sulemana, with Laborde enjoying the easiest of tap-ins.

With 17-year-old Dane Scarlett leading the line, Spurs could have wilted, but they found a leveller four minutes later.

Matt Doherty’s cross was deflected kindly into the path of Hojbjerg and the Dane poked home from close range as the points were shared in France.

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Tottenham beaten by Pacos de Ferreira in first leg of Conference League play-off

Tottenham will have work to do in the second leg of their Europa Conference League play-off tie with Pacos de Ferreira after losing the first leg 1-0 in Portugal.

A much-changed team went down to Lucas Silva’s goal on the stroke of half-time and they did not have the firepower or quality to fight back, failing to muster a single shot on target.

It is not what Nuno Espirito Santo will have been wanting to see from players who are on the fringes of the side that beat Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday and he may now have to consider playing the likes of Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn and potentially even Harry Kane in next week’s second leg.

Spurs handed debuts to Pierluigi Gollini, Cristian Romero and Bryan Gil while teenagers Dane Scarlett and Nile John received their first starts as Nuno made 11 changes to the side that outplayed City.

There is a lot of excitement around Gil’s arrival from Sevilla and it was immediately easy to see why as inside the first five minutes he skinned the right-back and sent in a cross to Ryan Sessegnon, who could not get the ball under control and missed the chance to get a shot away.

That was as good as it got for Spurs, who struggled to keep possession and barely got into Pacos’ penalty area.

Pacos, who finished fifth in the Primeira Liga last season, began to take control and looked dangerous on the counter-attack, without ever really threatening

That changed on the brink of half-time as they took the lead with an incisive breakaway.

Harry Winks was beaten in a tackle, the ball ended up with Nuno Santos and Silva ran in between Romero and Cameron Carter-Vickers and finished coolly into the bottom corner.

Spurs defended better in the second half but could not get anywhere near an equaliser as they failed to have a shot on target.