Eastern block
Defeat in Ukraine sets back City’s bid to clinch Europa top spot
LEICESTER City headed to Ukraine with two hopes, and neither of them were fulfilled.
Brendan Rodgers wanted his three returnees to get through their allocated minutes without any issues, and they wanted to get the victory that secured top spot in Group G.
But Caglar Soyuncu, one of the comeback trio, was substituted after just 15 minutes holding his groin, and then Allayar Sayyadmanesh netted for Zorya Luhansk inside the final 10 minutes to seal the win.
It was City’s first defeat in Europe this campaign, and their third in four matches in all competitions, with the form dropping considerably since the squad returned from the international break.
Soyuncu, Ricardo Pereira, and Wilfred Ndidi were three of nine new faces in the team with Rodgers rotating to not only give his stars some game-time after recovering from injuries, but also allowing key players a rest with a busy month ahead.
But the decisions did not pay off, with City struggling to muster chances until late on, when they were then hit on the counter, Zorya clinching the three points.
The first half may have ended a disaster goalless, but it was too. for City.
Equally as important as the result would have been the comeback trio making it through their allocated minutes unscathed.
A quarter of an hour in, that hope had been dashed.
Soyuncu ran across the backline to cut out a loose pass but as he reached the ball, he started hobbling. As he kicked it out of play, he signalled to the bench, then went down gripping his groin, appearing to be the same injury that had kept him out since October. Only a moment’s treatment was enough to see he couldn’t continue, and Wesley Fofana was brought on.
The injury came during a period in which Zorya were on top.
The hosts needed to win to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, and played like it too.
Within three minutes, they overloaded down City’s right, with Vladyslav Kochergin cutting in and shooting low, forcing Danny Ward into an early save on his second start of the season, with Kasper Schmeichel given a night off.
City grew into the game, but their efforts at goal were nothing more than long-range pot-shots until a neat passage of play saw Cengiz Under played in.
The Turkish international was the liveliest man on the pitch in the first 45 minutes, producing tricks and flicks that did not always come off, and trying his luck from range.
But he was handed a gilt-edged chance when Harvey Barnes stole possession, played a nice one-two with Kelechi Iheanacho, and then slipped Under in for a one-onone.
With his weaker right foot, he placed the ball just wide of the far post.
That was as close as either side came to an opener in the first period, but Ward was called upon again before the whistle went, with Andrej Ciganiks’ rasping shot from distance requiring a firm pair of hands to keep it out.
Perhaps because of the injury to Soyuncu, Ricardo and Ndidi did not last as long as perhaps anticipated.
Rodgers wanted Ricardo to play 75 minutes, but he was brought off at half-time, and Ndidi was withdrawn 10 minutes into the second period.
By that point, Zorya had nearly taken the lead, captain Vladlen Yurchenko arriving late into the box and powering a header onto the crossbar.
As the half wore on, City grew into the game and looked the more likely to grab a late winner.
With 15 minutes remaining, Under clipped in a free-kick to an unmarked Fofana, who utterly miscued his header from eight yards, putting it well wide.
Then City finally brought saves out Nikola Vasilj, Iheanacho winning the ball back and pinging a shot from 25 yards.
Vasilj parried to a dangerous area, but was back up quickly to then deny substitute James Maddison from a tight angle.
City were pushing and more good football sliced the hosts apart, James Justin rushing onto Maddison’s pass before firing into the side-netting.
But as is how it goes sometimes, during City’s best spell, Zorya took the lead.
A series of minor errors as City failed to clear the ball nor close down their opponents, Fofana losing Sayyadmanesh at the back post, and the Iranian sliding in to score.
Still, there was time for City to reply, as they did so late in Braga a week earlier.
But this time, they were denied by an outstanding save. Under’s bending effort from 25 yards looked to be destined for the top corner, but Vasilj leapt up and tipped it over, consigning Rodgers’ men to defeat.
They now need to beat AEK Athens at home to secure top spot and ensure they are seeded for the knockout stage draw.