Leicester v Tottenham LIVE: Premier League result and reaction after Vardy secures draw as Bentancur injured
Leicester 1-1 Tottenham: The veteran striker popped up in the second half to secure the hosts a point
Jamie Vardy marked Leicester’s return to the Premier League with a goal as the hosts secured an unlikely point against Tottenham Hotspur.
Captain Vardy had not been expected to feature in the opening fixture of his side’s top-flight comeback having missed most of the preseason due to injury, but was deemed fit enough to start with Steve Cooper lacking in alternative forward options. And it had to be him to produce a magic moment: Spurs had dominated the entirety of the contest unti the veteran striker headed home a second half equaliser totally against the run of play, Vardy directing Abdul Fatawu’s cross into the corner to secure a 1-1 draw.
Tottenham had appeared to have been cruising to an opening weekend win after Pedro Porro capitalised on their sustained pressure with a flicked first-half finish. With James Maddison sparkling on his return to his former club, the floodgates appeared likely to open thereafter, but a series of squandered chances from new recruit Dominic Solanke and the rest of the Spurs’ forward line left Leicester in touch, allowing Vardy to pop up and spark a King Power Stadium party again.
There was a worrying moment late on as Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur appeared to be knocked out in a clash of heads. After several minutes of treatment, the Uruguayan was sitting up and talking in the Tottenham dressing room after being carried off on a stretcher, and will continue to be monitored in line with concussion protocols.
Re-live all the action from the King Power Stadium below:
Jamie Vardy channels Leicester’s title-winning magic to defy the odds again against Tottenham
There is still proof of Leicester’s penchant for the improbable and it comes in the inimitable figure of Jamie Vardy. His career has been an exercise in the remarkable, and equalising against a Tottenham team who had appeared utterly dominant ranks low in his list of unlikely feats. But as long as Leicester have the last remnant of their title-winning team, there is the sense they can conjure some of the spirit of 5000-1 outsiders.
And if those were scarcely the odds before Vardy levelled, Leicester’s return to the top flight, eight years after they won it, was shaping up as a chastening affair. For almost an hour, they were outclassed. But not, it transpired, out of the game. Steve Cooper became the eighth Leicester manager to benefit from a Vardy goal, his own introduction to a new club smoothed by a man signed by Nigel Pearson.
Jamie Vardy channels Leicester’s title-winning magic to defy the odds again
Jamie Vardy earned Leicester a point on their return to the Premier League, with Spurs left to lament missed chances
And a disappointed Ange Postecoglou reacts to two points lost for Tottenham
“A disappointing night for us,” the Spurs manager says to Sky Sports. “First half, excellent, we controlled the game but were wasteful in front of goal. Once Leicester scored, they lifted the crowd and we lost our composure.
“It’s an issue we had last year as well. We need to be a bit more ruthless in front of goal. When we are that dominant, we should be out of sight of the opposition, and we weren’t.
“We do everything to score goals, and we didn’t score goals. The dominance in the football is great, but if you don’t score goals, it’s meaningless. We’ve got to be stronger in our mindset in the final third. To be that wasteful tonight when he had that much dominance of the ball, it’s disappointing. To get results we need to be a lot more ruthless and clinical. If we aren’t, we won’t get the rewards we deserve. The responsibility is on me to try and provide solutions and platform the players to improve.”
Jamie Vardy reacts after Leicester pinch a point
And here is Jamie Vardy, speaking to Sky Sports: “We just had a little chat between ourselves at half time. Tottenham are a really good team, but we probably gave them a bit too much respect and sat off a bit. At the start of the second half, we were on the front foot getting after them, and that’s what changed things.
“We were very calm. We’ll take the point and move on now. I was as fit as a fiddle until I got to about 65 minutes, to be honest. One of the Villarreal players tried putting my leg into Lake Geneva, there was bone-to-bone contact which irritated the knee. All you can do is let it settle down, so I waited as long as possible and managed to get four training sessions in.
“I wouldn’t say I’m doing anything different playing-wise. I’ve adapted a bit by dropping in and getting on the ball, but I’m looking after myself recovery-wise to the maximum. As long as I keep looking after myself and my legs still feel great, then I’ll carry on for as long as physically possible.”
FT: Leicester 1-1 Tottenham
71% possession for Spurs but a share of the points at the King Power Stadium, the visitors living to rue their wasting of a series of first-half chances as Jamie Vardy struck. How the striker has haunted Tottenham over the years - you always felt like an opportunity might just come his way the longer Leicester remained in it.
Leicester 1-1 Tottenham, 90 + 9 minutes
And that was the chance! Richarlison gets the run beyond the Leicester defensive line but fails to get his header right, connecting too soon and sending the ball spinning into the rows of spectators beyond the Leicester goal.
That’ll be that!
Leicester 1-1 Tottenham, 90 + 8 minutes
Steve Cooper has rid himself of his jacket, the Leicester manager marching around his technical area as his side look to preserve their point. Wout Faes separates Djed Spence from the ball as the right-back attempts to advance into the Leicester box.
That’s a mistimed challenge from the big Belgian, though. Dejan Kulusevski is chopped down wide on the right to grant Tottenham a last chance.
Leicester 1-1 Tottenham, 90 + 5 minutes
Dominic Solanke tries to send Werner hurrying on to a through ball but it’s too close to Mads Hermansen, who has had a very, very solid night in the Leicester goal.
Leicester 1-1 Tottenham, 90 + 4 minutes
Can either side find a late winner? Timo Werner shows off his trademark acceleration to keep a ball in up the right as Spurs work the corners, Djed Spence pushing up to support him.
Kasey McAteer does his defensive work diligently, though, and prevents Werner making progress as yet more time ticks by.
Leicester 1-1 Tottenham, 90 + 1 minutes
Almost a nightmare for Lucas Bergvall! The 18-year-old ventures down a blind alley and is soon mugged by a couple of Leicester forwwards, conceding possession in his own final third. An arriving Wilfred Ndidi draws a great save from Guglielmo Vicario, who makes his fury at Bergvall clear as he leaps to his feet.
Djed Spence finally takes the place of Pedro Porro, while Richarlison is also on for Heung-min Son.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments