Tuesday 1st March 2016,
Barclays Premier League, King Power Stadium, Kick-Off 7:45pm |
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Leicester City |
2 -
2 |
West Bromwich Albion |
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2 - 1 |
|
Olsson (30, own goal) |
|
Rondón (11) |
King (45+1) |
|
Gardner (50) |
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Managers |
|
Claudio Ranieri |
|
Tony Pulis |
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Starting XI |
|
Kasper Schmeichel |
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Ben Foster |
Danny Simpson |
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Craig Dawson |
(c) Wes Morgan |
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Gareth McAuley |
Robert Huth |
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Jonas Olsson |
(Gray 79) Christian Fuchs |
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James Chester |
Riyad Mahrez |
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Darren Fletcher (c) |
Danny Drinkwater |
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Claudio Yacob |
Andy King |
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Craig Gardner (McClean 83) |
(Schlupp 63) Marc Albrighton |
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Stéphane Sessčgnon (Sandro 90+3) |
(Ulloa 63) Shinji Okazaki |
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Salomón Rondón (Anichebe 90+2) |
Jamie Vardy |
|
Saido Berahino |
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Substitutes |
|
Daniel Amartey |
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Victor Anichebe |
Jeff Schlupp |
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Boaz Myhill (gk) |
Demarai Gray |
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James McClean |
Leonardo Ulloa |
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Cristian Gamboa |
Marcin Wasilewski |
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Rickie Lambert |
(gk) Mark Schwarzer |
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Alex Pritchard |
Gökhan Inler |
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Sandro |
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Bookings |
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Sessčgnon (dissent 32) |
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|
Chester (foul 89) |
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Attendance:
32,018 (2,061
Albion fans) |
|
Referee:
Mark Clattenburg (County Durham) |
Assistant 01:
Simon Beck (Bedfordshire) |
Assistant 02:
Jake Collin (Merseyside) |
Fourth Official:
Jonathan Moss (West Yorkshire) |
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Official Matchday
Programme |
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● Craig Gardner
makes his 50th start for the Baggies. |
MATCH REPORT
Leicester dropped two priceless
points in their quest for the Barclays Premier League title after being held to
a 2-2 draw at home by West Brom. The Foxes are three points clear of second-placed Tottenham, who go to
West Ham on Wednesday, after being frustrated by the battling Baggies. Goals
from midfield duo Danny Drinkwater and Andy King cancelled out Salomon Rondon's
early opener before Craig Gardner's classy free-kick earned a point for
Albion. Jamie Vardy and Shinji
Okazaki hit the bar for the hosts, who were the better side, and Wes Morgan blew
a glorious chance to win it late on. Claudio Ranieri's side will now face an
anxious wait when Spurs go to Upton Park, where a win for their title rivals
will be enough to send them top on goal difference.
The Foxes' pre-match points
tally of 56 was already their highest ever in the top flight but cracks showed
despite their late 1-0 weekend win over Norwich. The Canaries stifled Leicester
for much of the game and Albion set about doing the same early on before taking
a surprise early lead. Darren Fletcher spotted the run of Rondon after 11
minutes and the striker out-muscled Robert Huth in a heavyweight clash on the
edge of the area before poking his shot through the legs of the onrushing Kasper
Schmeichel. In doing so, Albion became just the third visiting side in the
league this season - after Tottenham and Aston Villa - to score first at the
King Power Stadium. It sparked
Leicester into action and
Okazaki volleyed over from six
yards. Vardy should have levelled on 27 minutes when, unmarked, he headed
straight at Ben Foster from Riyad Mahrez's cross. The Foxes, though, were
building momentum and grabbed the equaliser three minutes later. A corner
routine was worked back to Drinkwater 25 yards out and the midfielder's drive
clipped Jonas Olsson to loop in over Foster. The goal,
Leicester's 50th in the league this season, was fortuitous but the
hosts capitalised and maintained their drive, only for Vardy's header to smack
the bar after 36 minutes. Since levelling the hosts had been the better side -
although nowhere near their fluid selves- but did find a second in first-half
stoppage time. There had been little flowing football from the hosts but the
Foxes conjured a sweeping move when Marc Albrighton's crossfield pass found
Mahrez and he teed up King to steer in from 15 yards. The midfielder, in the
team because of N'Golo Kante's hamstring injury, had not scored in the league
for 11 months.
But
Albion hit back
just four minutes after the break when, following Mahrez's handball, Gardner
curled a brilliant free-kick past the motionless Schmeichel from 25 yards. It
allowed the game to take a similar pattern to the first half with
Albion scoring early and
Leicester pressing. And just like the first period the Foxes hit
the bar when Okazaki
shuddered the woodwork with a 57th-minute header. It was a glaring miss from the
striker but the chances kept flowing as Jeff Schlupp's drive deflected at Foster
minutes later. Rondon then hacked over from close range as the game opened up
before Foster denied Vardy - after he outpaced Gareth McAuley - with 20 minutes
left. Both sides pushed for the next goal, with
Gardner
shooting over and Huth heading wide, but the Foxes looked more likely to grab a
priceless winner. And, with four minutes left, Morgan almost found it when
Olsson slipped in the area but the Foxes' skipper was denied by Foster from 10
yards. Mahrez then volleyed wildly over and Leonardo Ulloa could not force the
ball in during stoppage time as Leicester were forced to settle for a point.
Sporting Life
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