Foxes in a box
Vardy-less Leicester fail to tame lowly Fleetwood
LONDON: Jamie Vardy’s fairy tale return to Fleetwood ended in a big anti-climax as he was forced to sit out the English FA Cup third round game with a groin injury.
And he watched on with his wife Rebekah and one-year-old son Finley Jaiden as his Leicester team struggled to a 0-0 draw against the League One minnows.
Claude Puel made eight changes to his team – giving Fleetwood a great chance of causing a third-round upset.
Islam Slimani missed an early chance to put the Foxes in front after getting on the end of a Demarai Gray free-kick to the far post – but he scuffed his effort wide.
Leicester settled into the game quite well but had a massive scare when Alexandar Dragovich almost dropped a massive clanger.
He played a backpass without looking and Jakupovic was forced to scramble with the ball heading towards the bottom corner before he turned it away for a corner. Cian Bolger then headed the resulting free-kick just wide.
Ashley Hunter drove froward and fired a low shot straight at Eldin Jakupovic. Gray forced a corner for Leicester after putting Lewie Coyle under pressure.
Captain Andy King had a great chance but headed Gray’s corner over the bar from six yards.
Wes Burns almost got through on goal but Ben Chilwell did well with a timely interception. Gray had a chance to net after getting round the back of the Fleetwood defence but his shot from an acute angle was well blocked by keeper Chris Neal.
Fleetwood went mighty close to scoring when Ashley Hunter raced clear and his cross that was begging to be put in from close range was cleared for a corner by Yohan Benalouane.
Silva was put out of misery when he was taken off in a double substitution.
On came Marc Albrighton and Shinji Okazaki for the Portuguese star and Havery Barnes. A long-range strike from Markus Schwabl was then well held by Jakupovic as Leicester continued to wobble.
Gary almost set up a great chance to break the deadlock when he raced free down the left but his cross was too deep for Slimani, who could only poke the ball out from a far too acute angle.
Fleetwood, however, were dictating the tempo of the second half and really causing Leicester headaches all over the field.
And it was the home side who almost snatched the decisive goal when captain Bolger headed over unmarked from 12 yards from a George Clendon corner.
Fleetwood almost grabbed a dramatic late winner in injury time when Hunter let fly from the edge of the box and the ball bounced back off the right post and into the grateful arms of Jakupovic. — The Sun, London