Slimani’s strike is champion for Foxes
Slimani on target to lift Foxes
LEICESTER CITY continued to take the Champions League by storm last night after Islam Slimani’s goal saw off former holders Porto.
The Foxes lead Group G with six points from two games and are now in pole position to qualify for the knockout stages in their first venture into the competition.
Fellow Algerian Riyad Mahrez supplied the pass for Slimani and said: “Islam is always ready in the box. I just put the ball in and he was there. We have six points from six and the next game is at home and we need the points too, as it is always more difficult at home.”
Tottenham were also victorious last night, winning their first Champions League game this season at CSKA Moscow.
Son Heung-Min continued his hot streak by following up the two goals he scored against Middlesbrough on Saturday with a 71st-minute strike.
It sends Spurs up to second in Group E following their home defeat by Monaco.
AT some point in the continuing fairy tale being directed by Claudio Ranieri here at Leicester City they will surely bump into a big bad wolf.
But Porto – their second opponents in Group G who are known as the Dragons – were certainly no wolves as the champions of England continued their unbeaten and enchanting run through Europe.
Club record signing Islam Slimani provided the hammer blow with a diving first-half header to cap a near-perfect start to his Foxes career following two goals on his Premier League debut against Burnley.
Yet the magic and the muscle came from the boots of familiar sources with Riyad Mahrez sparking up front and Robert Huth and Wes Morgan impenetrable at the back.
Ranieri has made no secret that he wants this Champions League campaign to be a second wonderful chapter in the story following their unlikely league success last year.
And after their thumping 3-0 success in Bruges in the opening round, victory here gave them maximum points and every chance of going through to the knockout stages.
A cagey but entertaining opening saw Kasper Schmeichel called into action first, with Miguel Layun curling a shot towards the top corner which the Leicester man back-pedalled smartly to catch.
But it was the home side who started to assert themselves with their midfield finally starting to pick out the runs of the two front men, Jamie Vardy and Slimani.
The Algerian was no stranger to the Porto players, having played for rivals Sporting Lisbon until becoming Leicester’s record signing for £30million.
They were probably not too sorry to see him go, given he has been dubbed the Dragon Slayer after scoring three in his last five matches against the side from north Portugal. In the 15th minute Slimani got the ball from Luis Hernandez in the centre circle and fed his strike partner. But Vardy could not get his shot away as the angle narrowed.
Vardy’s pace was triggering warning signals all over Porto’s defence as the England man started to run off the shoulders of Felipe and Ivan Marcano and the breakthrough was not long in coming.
Predictably, it followed the first significant involvement of Mahrez. He was picked out in five yards of space on the right flank with a searing switch in angle from Marc Albrighton on the opposite flank, the Algerian worked a little magic. Turning back on to his left foot, Mahrez whipped a cross towards goal where Vardy and Slimani were racing in, the latter scoring with a brave diving header.
The passage of play also seemed to breathe life into the three Leicester front men and they could have added another as Porto were scorched by their speed.
After the break the Portuguese produced a much more threatening display, pressing higher up the pitch and encouraging Lopez and Silva to offer more of a physical threat to the Leicester defence. But Morgan and Huth stood firm. With six minutes to go Porto thought they had done enough to equalise after Schmeichel came out to punch, missed the ball and substitute Jesus Corona hammered his shot against the upright.
Leicester will next face Copenhagen, well known for its rich history of fairy tales. Perhaps Ranieri can keep the story going.