Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
55FANTASTIC Iheanacho FOXES! that 4,000 supporters could see it
Iheanacho fires Leicester to the final and it’s great
THERE was a timely reminder at Wembley that it is not always about the super clubs.
Not when Leicester can dare to dream of another glorious triumph after reaching the FA Cup final.
Not when Wembley welcomed back 4,000 fans and reminded everyone that football is nothing without them.
Not when striker Kelechi Iheanacho wrote his name into Leicester folklore and looks ready to take over from the irrepressible Jamie Vardy after scoring the winner.
This actually felt some way back towards normality again with cheers for a goal, genuine excitement at the end and a taste of more to come.
The tickets were issued to local residents in Brent rather than fans of the clubs, priority given to NHS heroes and key workers and, while it was not a classic, they provided some atmosphere after a year of empty, soulless stadiums.
Hopefully, the test event was a success. Wembley can get more back in the future and next time it will be 8,000 actual fans from both clubs for the Carabao Cup final next Sunday.
But this was still a day to 1-0 treasure for Leicester who, just like Southampton, would not have been invited to the clandestine talks for a breakaway European Super League.
Then again, the big clubs do not want the likes of Leicester around to spoil their moneymaking machine, even if this club gave us one of the greatest football moments by winning the Premier
League title in 2016.
Now, five years on, Brendan Rodgers (left, and with Vardy above) has got Leicester dreaming again.
Four times they have been runners-up in the FA Cup, three times in the 1960s, and now they have a chance to write even more history.
They will face Chelsea in the final next month and will inevitably be underdogs, but it would be foolish to write them off. After all, they are in the top four for a reason. Iheanacho has now scored 10 goals in his last seven games and the Leicester striker is now the FA Cup’s top scorer since the 2015/16 season, having scored 14 goals in the last five seasons, which is more than the likes of Sergio Aguero, Heung-min Son and Harry Kane.
It also feels as if Iheanacho is ready to come of age. From bit-part player to main man
this season under Rodgers, he now has the confidence to be a regular and also step out from Vardy’s shadow.
Vardy is 34, cannot go on forever and, sooner or later, Leicester will need a new frontman, although the former England striker’s blistering run to set up the winner showed he is not going anywhere just yet.
Sadly for Southampton, they just never really got going, never found a rhythm or looked like playing the wonderful brand of football which took them to the top of the Premier League earlier this season.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have run out of gas in recent weeks. They put up a good fight but could not find a way past Leicester’s stubborn defence.
Instead, the game was decided after 55 minutes. Vardy sprinted down the left, his cross found Iheanacho, his shot hit Jan Bednarek, and the Leicester striker smashed home the rebound.
Southampton pressed for an equaliser. James Maddison – forgiven after his Covid rule breach last weekend – came on and went close with a long-range effort but there was no way back.
There was at least time for one last punt into the box as Southampton launched a free-kick, the 4,000 spectators in the stadium made a big noise and then cheered the final whistle. It was so good to have them back.
KELECHI IHEANACHO kept up his incredible FA Cup run to fire Leicester to a Wembley final clash with Chelsea.
Iheanacho grabbed the 55th-minute winner and said: “The FA Cup loves me – and I love the FA Cup.”
The 24-year-old has shot the Foxes to Wembley almost singlehandedly with a winner against Brighton and a double to dump Manchester United out in the 3-1 quarter-final win.
He has scored 14 goals in the competition over the last five seasons, more than any other player.
Iheanacho said: “It’s not a one-man show. We did this together. Without being a team we could not have done it. I was just in the right place at the right time. We’re in the final and that’s what matters. I’m delighted.”
But he paid tribute to Jamie Vardy, who streaked behind the Southampton defence to set him up for the goal which puts Leicester in the final for the first time since 1969.
Iheancho said: “Our partnership is outstanding. Jamie is the best partner you could want as a striker.”