Leicester fight back against PSV to reach Conference League semifinal

PARIS: Leicester battled back to beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1 on Thursday in the Europa Conference League to reach a European semifinal for the first time in their history.

After a goalless draw in the first leg in England last week, PSV took the lead in the quarterfinal tie through Eran Zahavi.

But late goals from James Maddison and Ricardo Pereira sent Brendan Rodgers' Premier League side through and stunned the Philips Stadion crowd.

Leicester will face either Roma or Norwegians Bodo/Glimt for a place in the final in Tirana on May 25.

"We are a team that is so young in European football," Leicester manager Rodgers told BT Sport.

"PSV have an incredible history in Europe and for us we are so young — these are great experiences for us and I am so happy for the players."

The first real chance of the game fell to PSV's Mario Goetze in the 13th minute, but the German's volley was kept out of the net by a magnificent, one-handed save from Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester should have taken the lead minutes later as Harvey Barnes raced clean through on goal, but the England winger slipped his effort agonizingly wide of the far post.

Schmeichel had to be alert again in the 25th minute to tip away Mauro Junior's low shot, but PSV did forge ahead shortly afterwards.

Goetze intercepted Youri Tielemans' loose pass just outside the Leicester box, before laying the ball off for Zahavi to drill a fine strike into the bottom corner.

Leicester almost levelled just after the half-hour mark, but Jordan Teze hooked Maddison's deflected effort off the line.

The visitors pressed in the second half but had to wait until the 77th minute to equalize.

Substitute Ayoze Perez did brilliantly to get to the byline and pull the ball back for