LONG SHOT HITS FOXES
Ryan’s mighty to ease Lions’ relegation fears
Millwall 1 Leicester 0 RYAN LONGMAN went on a fox hunt to leave Leicester glancing nervously at the chasing pack.
The Millwall forward scored a sensational 59th-minute goal to turn the form book on its head against the Championship leaders.
The home side defied a frantic late rally from the visitors to claim a priceless win in their battle to beat the drop after bouncing back from successive defeats to fellow strugglers. Leicester went into the game hoping to extend their lead at the top after back-to-back wins over Norwich and Birmingham.
But they suffered stage fright on a miserable night for manager Enzo Maresca (circle). Loan star Longman (celebrating, right), who is set to return to Hull at the end of the season, was the toast of the Den as Millwall moved four points clear of the drop zone.
The Lions started brightly, but Yunus Akgun lit up the game for Leicester with a scintillating crossfield ball that deserved better than Stephy Mavididi’s poor touch when clean through.
Jamie Vardy should also have done better when he scuffed his shot from another good position.
Once they gained a foothold, the Foxes took control and looked the more dangerous of the two sides.
Michael Obafemi lifted the home crowd with a barnstorming run which had Leicester back-pedalling, but a poor final ball ruined all his good work and brought groans.
Leicester won a five-goal thriller here in the FA Cup in January, but this one never looked like being a goal fest.
It took a moment of breathtaking magic to break the deadlock, after Wout Faes had coughed up possession just inside his own half.
Longman still had it all to do but stormed forward while the Leicester defence backed off, before unleashing a 30-yard rocket which flew in off the underside of the crossbar. The Foxes looked shellshocked by the strike, and Obafemi could have made it two, only to scuff his shot when clean through.
Leicester sub Abdul Fatawu wasted a glorious opportunity to equalise when he headed a pinpoint Wilfred Ndidi cross miles over at the far post.
And when Billy Mitchell cleared a Kelechi Iheanacho header off the line deep into stoppage time, the game was up for the visitors.