Iheanacho does just enough to blunt Brentford’s spirited charge
It felt particularly damning for the FA Cup when two of the shrewdest and best-run clubs in the land made a combined 18 changes for this tie, although at least the various backups and reserves of Brentford and Leicester City were still able to produce an engaging and competitive match.
The Premier League visitors were the victors, yet there was considerable courage on show from a Brentford side performing so well in the Championship. They rattled Leicester, threatening in short bursts of attacking intensity and ultimately were denied a replay only by the width of the post.
A replay would not have been what Thomas Frank, the Brentford head coach, wanted. This is not to say he was not hopeful of an equaliser because he and his team were pushing hard at the end, but a fixture pile-up is a long way from being ideal for a team of Brentford’s resources given their hopes of promotion.
“What I didn’t want was a draw,” Frank said. “So, if we’d scored in the last two minutes, we’d have had two options – take the centre-backs out or push everybody up. I don’t understand how we can have replays in the FA Cup. I love the tradition and the culture in England but sometimes I don’t get that. That’s part of what’s killing one of the finest cup tournaments in the world.”
Leicester needed an exceptional individual performance from Dennis Praet in midfield, along with the sharp thinking of goalscorer Kelechi Iheanacho, to ensure their progression. They did not always carry the air of Champions League contenders and it was indicative of Brentford’s effort that Brendan Rodgers felt worried enough to introduce James Maddison in the second half.
The home side struggled for attacking incision in the absence of their usual strike force. Their last Cup match at Griffin Park, the ground they leave at the end of this season, ended with plenty of huffing and puffing around the Leicester penalty box, but a lack of killer instinct at key moments.
Before kick-off, the excitement that surrounded one of the ties of the round had been lessened slightly by the publication of the team sheets. Both sides made nine changes, with Brentford prioritising their promotion push.
They had their first warning after 20 seconds, when Ayoze Perez found himself in space inside the home penalty box. The Leicester forward slalomed past Brentford goalkeeper Luke Daniels, but just as the goal gaped he was stopped by Luka Racic sliding out of nowhere to clear the danger.
The second sign of Leicester’s class came three minutes later when the visitors took the lead through a combination of exquisite passing and predatory finishing. It was Praet who created the goal by stabbing the most delightful of through balls to James Justin on the right wing. Justin’s cross was converted from close range by Iheanacho.
At this early stage, it felt like a tough ask indeed for the much-changed Brentford side. The club have a defined style of play though, and after they had overcome the initial shock of Leicester’s quality, they began to play their own game. Halil Dervisoglu curled an effort from the edge of the box, Jan Zamburek forced a save from Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward and then Dominic Thompson shot wide.
Leicester relied on the sharp thinking of Christian Fuchs after the break, with the left-back alert enough to hack the ball away after a cross from Emiliano Marcondes had drifted against the foot of the post. Racic had the next clear effort, volleying powerfully from a Marcondes corner, but Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward was ready between the posts.
“The attitude of the team was first class,” said Rodgers. “Brentford have been fantastic this season so we knew we had to be focused.”