Zorya Luhansk 1-0 Leicester City
Report by Chris Griffin
An 84th minute tap in at the far post by substitute Sayyadmanesh saw the Ukraine team snatch victory. After a sluggish start City had grown into the game and had the best of the second half but failed to score. With Braga winning comfortably against AEK, City now find themselves level on points at the top of Group G with one home game to come. Going into the knock-out stage as group winners still lies in the balance.
City made wholesale changes with only Justin and Praet keeping their places from the starting 11 from the excruciating Monday defeat to Fulham. Pereira, Soyuncu and Ndidi returned after long absences due to injury. Morgan, Choudhury, Ward, Under, Barnes and Iheanacho all started. Among City’s 12 subs were four players aged 19 or under including 16 year old Ben Wilson.
Zorya started brightly and were quicker to the ball. Kochergin forced Ward into an excellent low save to his right. Ndidi then tackled late on the edge of the box but Nazaryma’s hard strike was blocked by the wall. City cleared the follow-up corner comfortably. At the other end Under made a good run down the right, cut inside but his shot flew high and wide. City were getting into the tempo of the game but wayward passing kept surrendering possession.
In the 17th minute Soyuncu’s return was cut short. He neatly anticipated a through pass which he cut out but immediately pulled up with what turned out to be a recurrence of his groin strain. Fofana replaced him.
The dangerous Kochergin broke from midfield but sent his fierce shot over the bar. For Leicester Under presented the main threat going forward. After a good run he found Iheanacho in the box but the striker’s first touch let him down. A fluent move released Justin into the box but his right foot shot sailed wide.
Ndidi was making a very assured return breaking up attacks and winning possession. After one successful tackle he set Under forward but the winger’s shot lacked direction. Then Under was through from a good Barnes pass. This was an excellent one-on-one chance but the shot was blocked by keeper Vasilj.
Ciganiks, who had received a yellow card for clattering Under, then nearly redeemed himself with a fierce 20 yard shot that Ward did well to parry. Barnes then combined well with Iheanacho only to scuff his shot when well-placed in the penalty area.
The referee seemed very hard on challenges in the air. Both Pereira and Iheanacho picked up yellow cards following genuine efforts to win headers. By half time there was little to choose between the teams in a game which lacked entertainment.
Luke Thomas came on for Pereira for the second half. Praet and Justin combined well to feed Under but his shot went over the bar. Then an excellent cross from Under was just out of reach of Barnes in the six yard box. City had a lucky escape in the 55th minute. Kochergin centred and Yurchenko’s header beat Ward all ends up, only for the ball to rebound off the cross bar. City had to sustain some pressure. Praet handled and Fofana cleared the resulting wickedly swerving free kick from Nazaryna.
In the 56th minute Mendy came on for Ndidi and Morgan, with a back problem, was replaced by Fuchs. Mendy’s first tackle saw him receive a yellow card. Excellent work by Choudhury saw him win possession and release Barnes whose progress was cynically stopped by a Zorya defender. Then Mendy was fouled outside the Zorya penalty area. Under took a superb free kick which found Fofana unmarked in front of goal. His header flew well wide – a really good opportunity not taken.
City were building up more pressure as shown by a frequent increase in the highly robust and not always legal tackling from the home team which the referee seemed quite relaxed about. With ten minutes left Maddison came on for Praet and was immediately in the game. A firm long-range Iheanacho effort was well saved by the goalkeeper Vasilj. The rebound fell to Maddison whose fierce cross shot was goal bound until the keeper managed to extend a leg and block: an excellent double save by the goalkeeper. City followed this with some really smart play and one touch passing. The final pass found Justin but he could not get enough purchase on his shot and the ball went into the side netting.
City were then caught cold immediately after that near miss. Zorya swept forward down the left then worked the ball to the right from where Favorov crossed hard and low and found Sayyadmanesh unmarked at the back post only three yards out. A goal down with only six minutes and added time left.
City did not take the setback lying down. With the clock well into overtime Under sent in a superb shot which was heading for the top corner until parried round the post by the excellent Vasilj.
Brendan Rodgers was honest about his frustration. “It’s frustrating overall. I didn’t think the players deserved to lose that at all. As the second half went on, we looked like the only team going to win. The players put so much into it.”
Valid comments and it is fair to say that goalkeeper Vasilj played a big part in stopping a City win. But with no Vardy there are many fans who will say a reliable source of goals is hard to see: maybe that’s a job for the recruitment team in January.
Zorya Luhansk: Vasilj, Favorov, Ivanisenya, Abu Hanna, Ciganiks, Yurchenko, Nazaryna, Kochergin, Kabaev, Gromov (sub Sayyadmenash 81’), Gladkiy (sub Perovic 93’).
Leicester City: Ward, Pereira, Soyuncu (sub Fofana 17’), Morgan (sub Fuchs 56’), Justin, Praet (sub Maddison 77’), Ndidi (sub Mendy 56’), Choudhury, Under, Barnes, Iheanacho
Referee Espen Eskas (Norway)
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