UEFA Europa Conference League: Leicester City Survives Rennes Scare to Qualify for the Quarterfinals

UEFA Europa Conference League: Leicester City Survives Rennes Scare to Qualify for the Quarterfinals

Keba Mothoagae
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:58 PM
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  • Leicester City survived Rennes FC's fightback to back its pace in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Conference League
  • Taking a 2-0 lead into the away leg in France, the Foxes were defeated 2-1 in an engrossing, breakneck match
  • Wesley Fofana returned from a seven-month layoff to score the all-important goal which prevented extra time

Wesley Fofana made a welcome return to action after a seventh-month long absence to score for Leicester City as the Foxes scraped past Rennes FC into the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa Conference League quarterfinals

Leicester had won the first leg 2-0 back in England, but nearly saw it rubbed out eight minutes when Benjamin Bourigeaud finished from Martin Terrier's low cross.

uefa europa conference league, leicester city, wesely fofana, kelechi iheanacho, ademola lookman
Kelechi Iheanacho in action for Leicester City against Rennes FC. Image source: Getty Images.
Source: Getty Images

Fofana, the 21-year-old central defender, was making his first appearance since fracturing his leg in a pre-season match against Villareal last August, headed in a cross from Ademola Lookman's corner kick.

As reported by BBC Sport, the Frenchman ran and hugged boss Brendan Rodgers in emotional scenes, although that was not the last of the goals.

Rennes took back the lead when substitute Flavien Tait's shot hit the bottom corner in the 75th minute, leaving the French side with one more goal to take the match into extra-time.

Kasper Schmeichel pulled off an excellent stop using his legs as Serhou Guirassy almost got the equaliser 10 minutes later.

The Foxes held on to seal a 3-2 aggregate victory to move into the last eight of a European competition for only the second time in their history, after they lost to Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2017.

The draw for the next round takes place on Friday in Switzerland.

Aubameyang, Pedri Score as Barcelona overcomes stubborn Galatasaray to reach Europa League quarterfinals

As reported by Sports Brief, Barcelona is through to the quarter-final of this season's Europa League after putting up a spectacular performance to defeat Galatasaray 2-1 in Turkey.

The first leg of this fixture had ended goalless at the Camp Nou as Xavi's men failed to take advantage of their home support, setting up a mouthwatering reverse fixture in Istanbul.

But the Catalan giants had to come from behind to win the game courtesy of an equaliser by Pedri, before Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang secured the win.

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