Europa Conference League: Semi Final First Leg Round-Up

The Europa Conference League has brought some great drama so far this season, and the first leg of the semi-finals gave us even more of these.

Here are the best moments from the Europa Conference League semi-final first legs.

The magic Swiss run continues

A game with great drama, filled with goals, lead changes, and a surprise late winner. Or, as FC Basel would call it, a regular Thursday night.

Amazingly the Swiss side has done it again, this time away in Florence, at the home of Fiorentina.

The hosts took the lead in the 25th minute via an Arthur Cabral goal, who scored against his former club and did not celebrate out of respect.

He would have had good reason to though, as it made him the competition’s top goalscorer.

The comeback kings, however, always have a surprise in store.

In the 71st minute, a perfectly executed attack caught the Viola off guard, and Andy Diouf ran halfway across the pitch before slotting home a left-footed strike.

In stoppage time, it was Zeki Amdouni who finished off from inside the box after a set piece scramble.

The goal stunned the home crowd and sent the traveling Basel fans into euphoria.

For the third straight away knockout game, Basel conceded first, then answered with late goals to equalise or win.

An amazing win for Heiko Vogel’s players, but Fiorentina has scored four goals in each of their previous three Conference League away days - so all is still open for the return leg.

💥 BOOOOM 💪 BACK IN THE GAME ⚽#FCBasel1893 #MirSinBasel #UECL #ACFFCB #rotblaulive pic.twitter.com/NTJ67W4pUp
— FC Basel 1893 (@FCBasel1893) May 11, 2023

Advantage Hammers

Another team known for its comebacks, although in less dramatic fashion, is West Ham United.

For the fourth time this Conference League campaign, the Hammers went down 1-0 but went on to win the game.

This time it was against AZ Alkmaar, who visited a full house in the London Stadium.

They led through a Tijani Reijnders strike.

Their comeback this time required some help from AZ’s goalkeeper Matthew Ryan, who fouled Jarrod Bowen as both jumped for a ball just past the hour mark.

An easy penalty call for the referee, and Said Benrahma slotted the spot kick home.

The pressure grew, and in the 76th minute a corner kick led to a Michail Antonio tap in to make it 2-1 on the night for the Irons.

West Ham now have seven wins in seven European home games this season.

AZ will, however, try to use their home advantage next week to become the second straight Dutch side in the Conference League final.

For that they will need to beat a team who is still undefeated in the competition, and that is slowly but steadily creating their own European tradition and DNA.

Edited by Alex Smith