West Ham United were edged out by Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final but Leicester City earned a draw against Roma in the Europa Conference League.
It was a nightmare start for the Hammers as Ansgar Knauff gave Frankfurt a lead in the first minute, but Michail Antonio bundled home an equaliser 20 minutes later. However, Daichi Kamada restored the visitor’s advantage in the second half to give David Moyes’s side plenty of work to do ahead of next week’s return leg. In the other Europa League last four tie, Angelino’s long-range striker gave RB Leipzig a one-goal advantage over Rangers ahead of next week’s clash in Glasgow.
Ademola Lookman earned a draw for Leicester at home to Roma in the Europa Conference League after Lorenzo Pellegrini’s opener for Jose Mourinho side. There was a thrilling tie in Rotterdam, as Feyenoord took a 3-2 advantage over Marseille into the second leg in France.
Hammers stay alive
By Darren Lewis
David Moyes and his West Ham stars will continue to believe.
Particularly with the woodwork saving Frankfurt on three occasions in this compelling contest.
The German side might have grabbed the lead but the Hammers will grab their chance to make this a special, historic campaign next Thursday.
They’ve have done it the hard way all season. Should they reach the final of this season they will end the season having played 57 games - their most for 31 years.
With their thin squad they’ve been written off time and again for a European place, only to defy the odds and remain on track.
So don’t write them off for next week.
That said, they have work to do to get through this tie. The party atmosphere inside the London Stadium was blown apart after just 49 seconds when the side that beat Barcelona in the last round went ahead.
Frankfurt break down the left, Rafael Borre crossed and Ansgar Knauff headed diagonally past Alphonse Areola.
It took fourteen minutes before the home side found their feet, courtesy of a fine move.
Tomas Soucek released Jarrod Bowen down the middle and his low shot beat keeper Kevin Trapp - but smacked the post.
West Ham made up for that false start six minutes later via one of the set-pieces from which they’ve been so dangerous this season.
Manuel Lanzini’s crossed, Kurt Zouma - back to fitness after fears he’d be out for the season - headed across goal and Antonio turned it in.
Both sides looked as dangerous as each other from then on, but it was Frankfurt who took the advantage back to Germany for next week.
Daichi Kamada rounded off a superb move, with Frankfurt passing their way through the home side before the Japanese midfielder tapped the ball home.
The game was far from over from there. Declan Rice and Craig Dawson produced outstanding blocks to prevent the vistors from going further ahead.
Substitute Said Benrahma curled a cracking effort against the post from a sensational diagonal ball from Rice.
Jarrod Bowen could even have grabbed an injury time equaliser when his outrageous overhead kick from Rice’s cross smashed against the crossbar - but bounced the wrong side of the line.
This tie is far from over. West Ham have defied the odds too many times this season for it to be so.
Bear in mind too that Frankfurt have won just four of their 16 games at home in the Bundesliga this season.
In the Europa League they’ve also won just one of their last four in front of their own fans.
West Ham’s chance to reach the final is still alive.
Foxes fight back
By James Nursey
The inaugural European Conference League may not be the continent’s top competition but Leicester continue to fight hard to lift it.
The FA Cup holders came from behind to memorably win away in Eindhoven earlier 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 levelled 23 minutes from time as Leicester will head to Rome next week with the semi-final firmly in the balance.
Mourinho 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. Nicolo Zalewski collected a cross-field 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 left-foot 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, 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 in his ninth of the season from close-range in the 67th minute.
Leicester then might have snatched a lead late on but keeper Patricio did well diving to his right to push Kelechi Iheanacho’s shot around the post.
While home captain Kasper Schmeichel had to be alert to turn a shot from sub Sergio Oliveira over after great play by ex-Chelsea frontman Tammy Abraham who was a handful upfront.
