Leicester City 2 v 0 Sevilla
In a week when the country is beginning a two-year process to exit from Europe, I walked to this game hoping that it would not mark the end of another two-year process: the one that got Leicester City into Europe. Unbelievably, it is almost that long since Andy King got that late winner against West Ham and the rest has been – quite literally – history.
Instead, those lucky enough to be at the King Power Stadium witnessed an exhilarating Act in the continuing drama that is Leicester City Football Club. It was a game, and an occasion, that had just about everything.
The pre-match atmosphere was as heady as anything experienced throughout last season. The tifo banner reading “Let slip the dogs of war” revealed before kick-off showed just the right amount of resolve … and the players took their cues perfectly.
Let us be honest: Leicester City, playing like they did this match and for most of last season, are not sophisticated. They are efficient, effective, hard-working, resolute and any number of other positive adjectives … and, on their day, they are capable of beating just about any team.
From the start, City pressed hard. The two banks-of-four held position well. They were quicker, stronger and more purposeful than their talented opponents. They kept their cool better and, yes, they rode their luck at times – but that is what winners do.
A key moment came as early as the third minute, when Sevilla’s first meaningful possession led to a shot by Nasri that Schmeichel saved well. Had that gone in, who knows what would have happened? It did not and from that moment on, City looked to be the better side.
Okazaki and Vardy’s harrying when Sevilla had the ball, together with Ndidi and Drinkwater’s snapping in the tackle, left the visitors looking ordinary for much of the first half. As early as the seventeenth minute, Nasri was visibly annoyed at Ndidi tackling him yet again, and kicked out at the young midfielder, receiving a deserved yellow card for doing so.
City were even having some spells of possession, although the visitors looked sharp on the break. Neither side created many outright chances, but City had the pressure, and that led to a deserved lead just before the half hour. Vardy’s hassling, yet again, won rewards – this time a free kick just outside the corner of the penalty area.
Mahrez’s cross cleared almost everyone before rebounding into the net off Morgan’s thigh. Not the most spectacular of goals – but one of the most important. Suddenly, not only was it possible that Leicester might make the quarter final stage of the Champions League; it was in fact quite a likely outcome!
Sevilla reacted well to going behind and pushed forward more effectively for the rest of the half, but that led to more space for City on the break and the match entered a more open phase. City defended professionally and held on to their lead until half time.
The visitors made two changes at the break and they began to dominate possession in the way most would have expected prior to kick off. In the 53rd minute, a speculative 25 yard shot hit the under-side of Schmeichel’s cross bar. The rebound fell to an unmarked Ben Yedder, who fired his shot well over the bar – a poor attempt and another of the match’s turning points.
Two minutes later, Okazaki’s industriousness led to the ball reaching Mahrez on the right wing, his hopeful cross was headed out straight to Albrighton on the edge of the box. He was inexplicably unmarked and had an age to control the ball, pick his spot and pass the ball into the net. Two-nil to Leicester!
Okazaki was replaced by Slimani just after the hour – he had been the Okazaki of last season; constantly harrying, and if he would learn sometimes to pass or to shoot a bit more quickly he would be an even better player than he undoubtedly is.
Vardy then missed a chance at least as good as the one spurned earlier by the visitors – blazing over from a similar distance when unmarked. Whilst there was every hope that Leicester could hold on to win the match, it was clear that it was not going to be straightforward. It proved to be an eventful, frenetic final twenty minutes.
Sevilla made their final substitution, and spent more and more time in the Leicester half. At one point, the ball seemed to be held within 25 yards of City’s goal for a full couple of minutes. Then Vardy and Nasri ran into each other on the edge of the box. It was innocuous, but Nasri squared up to Vardy and made a head-butting action. Yes, Vardy over-reacted, but in truth it was an incredibly stupid act for a professional player to make when on a yellow card. The referee got the decision absolutely right, booking both players, with the result that Nasri was sent off and the visitors down to ten men.
City’s response to having the extra man was to defend even deeper and to rely on fast breaks. They seemed content the whole match to let Sevilla get the ball wide and then deal with any resulting crosses as they occurred. Sevilla spent log passages of play passing and moving just outside the Leicester box, and the home team did a professional job by only conceding one free kick in a shooting position the whole night. They closed players, they blocked their angles, but they did not get drawn into the silly challenges that have cost them so dear in other matches this season.
Like I said – despite City’s excellent performance it was never going to be simple, and with ten minutes to go Shmeichel was in action again, failing to get to the ball before it was chipped over him. The ball was cleared from the line by Huth and in the excitement it took many people quite a few seconds to spot that the referee was pointing to the penalty spot. It was the sort of challenge that goalkeepers normally get away with – Schmeichel was late to the ball but took the players legs from under him – anywhere else that is a clear free kick, and so the referee was correct to give the penalty and Schmeichel a yellow card.
N’Zonzi took the kick – and it was a poor one, giving the City keeper every chance to save it – which he duly did. The crowd erupted yet again – Sevilla had now missed two penalties in the tie overall – surely the omens were now firmly with Leicester?
The visitors continued to be a threat, whilst Leicester created and spurned three good chances to score on the break: Vardy missing another couple and Slimani being closed down well by the keeper to block a one-on-one chance. Amartey was brought on to shore up the defence, with Craig Shakespeare showing some astute decision making; the fourth official’s board indicated that Albrighton was to be replaced, but while the change was being arranged, Mahrez went down with cramp, so the number on the board was changed to ‘26’ and Mahrez was replaced – earning a yellow card for the slowness of his leaving the pitch.
Sevilla looked increasingly dis-believing at what was happening, and their manager was sent to the stands for protesting too much. They mustered one final decent chance – shot over from 18 yards, before finally the four minutes’ added time was up, and Leicester had progressed to the quarter finals of the Champions League.
It was an admirable team performance and the result was thoroughly deserved. Leicester had a plan and stuck to it, they worked immensely hard. Every player was at or about his best, discipline was kept and the crowd supported the team all the way.
The dream continues – and whoever City draw in the next round, if they play like this they can give them a decent game.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy. Subs: Chilwell, King, Amartey, Slimani, Zieler, Gray, Ulloa
Sevilla: Rico, Mercado, Martín Pareja, Rami, Escudero, N'Zonzi, Iborra, Sarabia, Nasri, Machín Pérez, Ben Yedder. Subs: Ferreira Filho, Kranevitter, Correa, Soria Solís, Jovetic, Vázquez, Lenglet
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