Leicester hit back at Roma to take shine off José Mourinho’s return to England

As a first taste of European semi-finals go, this barnstorming match will surely have whet the appetite for Leicester. An own goal from Gianluca Mancini cancelled out Roma’s early opener to ensure a grandstand finish in the second leg of this Europa Conference League semi-final at the enormous Stadio Olimpico next Thursday, leaving José Mourinho disappointed on his return to England. Mourinho had reeled off eight of Leicester’s attacking threats in the buildup to this match and his side could not shutout the hosts, who could have yielded victory late on.

For all of Leicester’s early promise, Roma ruthlessly punished them with their first clean sight of goal on 15 minutes. The bubbly wing-back, Nicola Zalewski, surged upfield on a meandering run and after driving inside he spied the run of his captain, Lorenzo Pellegrini, who rattled a shot through the legs of the Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. In the dugout Mourinho, silver hair, grey long coat, was unmoved, instead steadfastly jotting down a note or two. It was not always the way, however, and the former Tottenham manager was soon crouching on the touchline, contorting himself as he cajoled his players into shape or skipping out of his technical area to deliver instructions.

Mourinho presumably recognised Leicester could and perhaps should have taken an early lead. With 69 seconds on the clock Jamie Vardy, making his second start of the year following a knee problem, was given an opportunity to stretch his legs after an untimely slip by Chris Smalling, one of two Englishmen to lineup for the Serie A side along with Tammy Abraham. With less than four minutes gone Timothy Castagne, darting to the back post at a corner, sent a header wide.

The hosts made a