Tammy Abraham heads Roma into final to end Leicester’s European hopes

Leicester’s European adventure came to an end in Rome as Tammy Abraham’s 27th goal of the season, an early header, decided this Europa Conference League semi-final. Brendan Rodgers said he hoped his side would be able to keep their story going but exited the competition after failing to hurt Roma at a typically noisy Stadio Olimpico. José Mourinho could yet cap his first season in charge of the Serie A club with a trophy in Tirana later this month.

Rodgers knew his players would be given a warm Roman welcome and they were greeted by an intimidating atmosphere. They arrived on to the pitch about an hour before kick-off to loud jeers – even when the 3,500 travelling supporters cheered the name of their title-winning manager, Claudio Ranieri, who managed both of these clubs with mixed success, they were drowned out by a partisan home crowd – but the goalkeepers seemed determined to keep things relaxed, starting their warmup with a crossbar challenge from halfway. Outside, Roma fans geared up for the game on Ponte Duca d’Aosta, the bridge on the Tiber river a scene a carmine red haze. The Leicester chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, who mingled with supporters in Eindhoven in the previous round, made a point of going over to the away fans before shaking the hand of every one of his players as they emerged for the warmup.

Shortly before kick-off the Curva Sud unfurled a giant tifo depicting the words In Britannia Cuncti Nomen Romanorum Horrebant, ‘Everyone in Britain dreads the name of the Romans.’ Rodgers had explicitly pointed to Roma’s key threats being on the counterattack and set plays so the sight of Abraham towering above Ricardo Pereira to power in a header from an out-swinging corner after 11 minutes would have