Vardy has his eyes on prize
GOAL hero Jamie Vardy reckons Leicester are in with a real shout of tasting Europa League glory.
Vardy scored the opener in this hard- earned win to make it two victories from two in Group G.
Hamza Choudhury grabbed a second but just when it looked to be plain sailing AEK hit back and might easily have grabbed a draw.
Former Fulham striker Muamer Tankovic scored and then missed a sitter as Leicester rode out any threat of a fightback.
It’s six points from six and Vardy said: “We believe we can go far in this tournament. We know on our day we can beat anybody.
“My penalty wasn’t the best but it ended up in the back of net, so that’s what matters.
“They then started to put a bit of pressure on us but we saw it out.”
Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers said: “We had to dig deep but saw the game out well. I’m delighted.
“It was a very professional performance.”
Leicester looked to have got the job done by half- time with a clean sheet and being two goals to the good.
It was that man Vardy who set them on their way in the 17th minute after he coaxed keeper Panagiotis Tsintotas to bring him down for a penalty.
The striker tumbled after seizing on a James Maddison through ball and then blasted the spot kick home, though Tsintotas probably should have saved it.
He got two hands to it but could only help it into the bottom corner but minutes later did well to save at the feet of Cengiz Under to deny the Foxes a second.
Choudhury doubled the lead in the 39th minute but only after AEK failed to punish them.
Marko Liaja got in a free header and forced Kasper Schmeichel to make an acrobatic tip over and then the striker really should have done better with a low angled shot which flew just wide after Wes Morgan had punted it into his path.
That proved costly for the Greeks when Maddison’s corner fell to Choudhury at the far post and he whipped a shot home.
But AEK tested their resolve with Tankovic scoring with a low shot just four minutes after coming on at half- time.
Within 60 seconds the big striker blazed over a great chance to draw level from six yards.
Leicester saw the game out and Under had a curling shot beat the keeper but crash against the angle.
AEK: ( 4- 2- 3- 1) Tsintotas 6; Bakakis 6 ( Vassilantonopoulos 86), Svamas 6, Nedelcearu 6, Insua 7 ( Maicharat 86); Krsticic 6, Shakhov 6; Livaja 7 ( Tankovic 46, 7), Mantalos 7 Lopes 6; Ansarifard 6 ( Oliveira 46, 6).
LEICESTER: ( 3- 4- 2- 1) Schmeichel 7; Fofana 7, Morgan 7, Fuchs 7 ( Thomas 46, 7); Under 7 ( Praet 66, 7), Choudhury 8 ( Mendy 66, 6), Tielemans 6, Justin 7; MADDISON 8 ( Barnes 74), Albrighton 7; Vardy 8 ( Iheanacho 71).
REFEREE: Harald Lechner ( Austria) 7.