Bournemouth 0 City 1 (aet)
Post Match Analysis by Kate Thompson
After Friday’s debacle, I was not sure that I really wanted to go to Bournemouth, which entailed an overnight stay. When I saw the starting 11, my pessimism went even lower, but I’m pleased to say that the boys did great! Apart from Raikhy being substituted at half-term, primarily because he had been booked, the youngsters did not disgrace themselves.
City started the brighter side and could have been in front before Bournemouth had even touched the ball, but as the first half wore on it became a more even contest. Bournemouth pressed to great effect but, barring the odd scare, the Leicester team stood up to it.
The number of yellow cards between the two teams (five for City and four for Bournemouth) showed what a feisty encounter this was. It was breathtaking stuff and a far cry from the slow, measured game that Maresca prefers. You couldn’t take your eyes off the game for a minute and it swayed to and fro – the archetypal end to end affair.
City’s old problem was evident here, not taking their chances, but fortunately Bournemouth were just as guilty; the one effort that could have led to a goal was cleared off the line by Choudhury. I would have given him the man of the match because he broke up so many Bournemouth attacks, as well as contributing forward passes.
The other colossus on the night was the much-maligned Vestergaard, who is like a man reborn this season. Sadly, he has to miss two league matches and it seemed as if he were showing us all what we will miss. He even came very close to a goal himself, having exchanged passes with Iheanacho.
Apparently, we have not won at Bournemouth since Kevin Phillips’ goal in the 2013-14 season, when we were last champions of the second tier. So, despite all the ill omens, we are now in the quarter-finals and likely to come up against one of the ‘big boys’. A home tie would be great, especially as it will most likely be on my birthday, and a win would put the icing on the cake!
AFC BOURNEMOUTH: Travers; Smith, Zabaryni, Senesi (Tavernier 73), Kerkez (Faivre 105); Scott, Cook; Ouattara (Christie 73), Billing, Sinisterra (Kluivert 90); Unal (Semenyo 45). Subs (unused): Radu, Mepham, Kinsey
Booked: Unal, Semesi, Scott, Kluivert
LEICESTER: Stolarczyk; Choudhury, Vestergaard, Coady, Doyle (Justin 80); Praet (Nelson 105), Raikhy (Pereira 45); Akgun, Albrighton (Fatawu 64), Cannon (Iheanacho 63), Marcal. Subs (unused): Ward, Souttar, Thomas, Briggs
Booked: Raikhy, Doyle, Fatawu, Pereira, Justin
Goal: Fatawu 105
Referee: Paul Tierney
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation.