Perfect timing for Leicester hero Harry
IT IS something defenders tend to only dream about. A 30-yard stoppage-time strike, the ball goes through the legs of two opponents, then you run barechested into an army of fans going berserk.
That became a reality for Harry Maguire as the England centre back turned into Leicester’s hero at St Mary’s Stadium, scoring the winner then ripping off his shirt in celebration.
It completed a turnaround for Leicester against 10-man Southampton and Maguire, commanding at the back as always, left with his name being sung by supporters on repeat.
As Jamie Vardy said on social media afterwards: ‘That’s my Slab Head.’
Well, Maguire can afford to be a bit big-headed after this and his World Cup performances.
This was the first time since 2015 that Leicester had played a Premier League match without Vardy, Riyad Mahrez or N’Golo Kante featuring.
For a long time, it looked as if they weren’t at the races.
Southampton took the lead through Ryan Bertrand’s wonderful strike in the 52nd minute but Demarai Gray’s first goal since December made it 1-1 four minutes later.
In the 77th minute, as the home side searched for a winner, the game was turned on its head. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg went down looking for a penalty but was deemed to have dived by referee Jonathan Moss, who showed him a second yellow card. It was the right call.
Then, as Leicester were looking for a hero, step forward the big bloke from the back. Maguire struck his shot, nutmegging Oriol Romeu then Jannik Vestergaard, and became the match-winner.
Southampton manager Mark Hughes, whose side are yet to win this season, was shocked afterwards as he admitted: ‘I was quite pleased to see Harry Maguire taking a shot from there.
‘I was thinking, “Just jog over and pick it up”. We can’t really believe it has gone in.’
The Saints boss felt Hojbjerg’s second yellow was correct.
‘If you know you’ve been booked, you’ve got to make sure you don’t get in those situations,’ he added.
Leicester’s Claude Puel, who also defeated his former club in the corresponding fixture last season, said: ‘It was fantastic for Harry. It was perfect, in extratime. I’m happy for him. It was a tough game.’
With Leicester blunted by the absence of the suspended Vardy after his sending-off against Wolves, not much happened before half-time.
The opener came soon after the break when a cross by Hojbjerg crept through the box, with a slip by Mohamed Elyounoussi acting as an inadvertent dummy. The ball found Bertrand, who fired into the top corner from 20 yards.
Leicester were soon level after Cedrid Soares’s poor headed clearance gifted Gray a sniff of goal. He controlled the ball, said thank you, and scored.
In the 77th minute, Hojbjerg went down inside the area after a challenge by Daniel Amartey. The Southampton midfielder wanted a penalty but Moss saw sense, deeming it a dive.
With Hojbjerg sent for an early shower, Leicester searched for a winner, though fans may have winced as they saw Maguire lining up the longrange shot. But he bought the ticket, and won the lottery.