JAKUPOVIC PUNISHES TINKERING RANIERI
HE had barely been troubled for the best part of two-and-a-half hours, but Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic made the one save that mattered most as the clock approached 10.30pm. The Swiss stopper kept out Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez with the first effort of a penalty shoot-out in which nine others would subsequently net, David Meyler scoring the decisive spot-kick. It’s just as well it is half-term in these parts, for the schoolkids enticed by generous ticket pricing might have been in bed by the time the goals arrived after a stalemate inside 90 minutes. Mahrez gave Leicester the lead before Abel Hernandez levelled at the end of the first period of extra-time. And so to penalties where Jakupovic made a flying save to deny Mahrez, allowing Meyler to book their place in the quarter-final. Leicester, the high-flying Premier League side, spent most of the first half chasing their Championship opponents, with on-loan Isaac Hayden impressing in midfield . But despite Hull’s dominance, Mark Schwarzer in the Leicester goal had not been forced into a single save as the home side squandered chances. Claudio Ranieri, who had rested many first-team players reacted by introducing England striker Jamie Vardy. Hull thought they had won it when Schwarzer spilled Harry Maguire’s header from a corner and the ball appeared to drop over the line before the goalkeeper scrambled clear. But it was Leicester who found the breakthrough in extra time when Vardy’s shot was parried by Jakupovic and Mahrez followed up to steer into the empty net. Within five minutes the hosts were level as Hernandez stole in to bundle home after fellow substitute Chuba Akpom had been denied by Schwarzer. It was a long night with a happy ending for Hull.
HULL (4-1-4-1): Jakupovic 6; Odubajo 6.5, Maguire 6, Dawson 6, Robertson 6.5; Hayden 7.5; Diame 7 (Meyler 109min), Huddlestone 7, Taylor 7 (Hernandez 78), Maloney 6.5; Luer 6 (Akpom 74).
Subs not used: McGregor, Bruce, Clucas, Elmohamady.
Booked: Hayden, Akpom, Robertson. Scorer: Hernandez 106.
LEICESTER (4-4-2): Schwarzer 6; De Laet 6, Wasilewski 6, Benalouane 6, Chilwell 5.5; Albrighton 5, Inler 5, King 5, Dodoo 5 (Mahrez 84); Okazaki 5 (Vardy 65, 6), Kramaric 5.5 (Drinkwater 65, 6). Subs not used: Schmeichel, Morgan, Simpson, Blyth. Booked: Benalouane, Albrighton. Scorer: Mahrez 100.
Man of the match: Isaac Hayden. Referee: Stuart Attwell 7.