Leeds United vs Leicester City. Premier League.
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Report and free match highlights as Leeds and Leicester drew 1-1 in a relegation showdown; Jamie Vardy came off the bench to equalise with 10 minutes left after Luis Sinisterra gave Leeds the lead; Patrick Bamford missed a late chance to win the game
Tuesday 25 April 2023 23:56, UK
Patrick Bamford produced one of the misses of the season as Leeds missed the chance to move four points clear of the drop zone by drawing 1-1 against fellow relegation rivals Leicester.
As a tense six-pointer ticked on to the 90-minute mark, all the Leeds striker had to do was tap home at the far post after Marc Roca flicked on a corner - but Bamford scuffed his finish, which bounced wide.
That miss - which was flagged onside - came a few minutes after Jamie Vardy came off the bench to snatch a late equaliser (80) after Luis Sinisterra had put Leeds in front against the run of play (20).
Leicester also saw two goals - one early for Youri Tielemans and a late Vardy winner - ruled out for offside, as the point does nothing to boost either side's chances of survival.
The draw means Leicester move one point above the relegation zone, with Leeds a point further ahead. Nottingham Forest can put arch-rivals Foxes into the bottom three if they beat Brighton on Wednesday, while Everton can move ahead of both teams if they do the same to Newcastle on Thursday.
Asked if his side should have won the game, Leeds manager Javi Gracia said: "To be honest I don't know. You have one more point but after competing the game - starting and winning and managing and as we did - it is hard to get only one point.
"Even after conceding the goal we had the clearest chance. We have to keep going and prepare the next game as best as possible."
Leicester controlled the opening 10 minutes of the game, forcing Leeds' defence and midfield into casual errors - with the visitors thinking they took the lead at half-time.
The returning James Maddison's corner was cleared as far as Tielemans, who unleashed a rocket past the motionless Illan Meslier into the top corner.
However, VAR intervened after it spotted a clear offside on Boubacar Soumare in the build-up, much to the delight of the roaring Elland Road crowd.
The Foxes continued their domination as Harvey Barnes saw a clear chance well blocked by Liam Cooper, before Maddison poked wide from Tete's cross at the far post.
But a similar move would see Leeds take the lead - Jack Harrison cutting inside from the right and delivering a superb post for Sinisterra to head past Daniel Iversen at the back post.
All of a sudden, Leeds took control and Leicester could not get their key attackers in the game. The only other chance of the half saw Luke Ayling see a speculative lob over Iversen fall gratefully into the arms of the Leicester goalkeeper.
Leeds came out in the second period trying to kill the game as Bamford's effort was well blocked by Wout Faes, while Rodrigo waited and waited before shooting from close range in the box - the same Leicester centre-back denying that attack as well.
The Foxes then had their best chance of the game when Faes' shot from inside the area was retrieved on the byline by Kelechi Iheanacho. The Leicester forward squared to Barnes who curled over from a good position.
Leicester's poor shooting continued as Maddison hit the wall from a close-range free-kick - but Dean Smith's substitutions - bringing on Patson Daka and Vardy - led to an improvement from the visitors.
Iheanacho and Daka forced the Leeds goalkeeper into a superb double save with 20 minutes to go. Iheanacho then forced Meslier into a stop at the Foxes striker's feet, before Caglar Soyuncu acrobatically fired over from the resulting corner.
But it was another substitute in Vardy who would strike the killer blow that was coming for Leeds. Daka and Maddison played quickfire passes to release the Leicester number nine, who completed the move with a trademark finish.
A grandstand finish ensued. Vardy had the ball in the back of the net again but went too early and failed to hold his run - the linesman correctly flagging him offside.
Then came a trio of Leeds chances as goalkeeper Iversen denied Roca from point-blank range from a corner, before denying Brenden Aaronson seconds later with a low stop.
The resulting corner then saw Roca flick on again, this time into Bamford's path. The Leeds forward could not get his feet in order and the chance went begging - as did two valuable points for the hosts.
Leeds have one more point than Leicester. But you just feel that the team with less is using more.
This relegation six-pointer turned on the 70th minute, when Dean Smith brought on Patson Daka and Jamie Vardy to try and change the tide. Both players had immediate and essential impacts on the game as Leicester clawed back a point.
Leeds and Javi Gracia, meanwhile, stuck with what they had. Wilfried Gnonto remained on the bench - not even the injury of Luis Sinisterra could force him on - and the hosts stuck with Bamford who was offering little.
And the 10 minutes where it became a tale of two strikers could have huge consequences come the end of May. Leeds dropped two, failed to get them back with Bamford's miss. Leicester took a point when, for three quarters of the game, they barely troubled their hosts.
You just feel that Leicester are using everything they have to try and get out of this miss. Gracia and Leeds are perhaps holding a little back…
Leeds manager Gracia hit out at his defenders for being a "little bit soft" in conceding their late equaliser.
The goal came from Iheanacho beating Liam Cooper to a one-versus-one. The Leicester forward even had time to pull up with a suspected groin injury before feeding Maddison, who then beat Junior Firpo to a challenge. Maddison was then able to slip in Vardy for his finish.
"The goal came from a challenge, from going to play with one player alone after one pass," said Gracia. "In that play, we were a little bit soft."
Meanwhile, Leicester manager Smith praised his substitutes' impact and the way his side began "penetrating" Leeds at the right moment in the game.
"I spoke to the players at half-time about getting control back on our build, on the ball and we did in that in the second half," said the Foxes boss.
"I thought the first 20 minutes of the second half, they ended up in a low block and we didn't penetrate like we needed to, hence the substitutions. They then made a difference and we did penetrate.
"I feel disappointed that we didn't come away with all three points but also know that we could have lost it with the two set piece efforts that Leeds had."
Leeds face another huge relegation six-pointer at Bournemouth on Sunday. Kick-off 2pm.
Leicester, meanwhile, host Everton in an important fixture at the bottom, live on Monday Night Football. Kick-off 8pm.
April 30: Bournemouth (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm
May 6: Man City (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Newcastle (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 21: West Ham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 1.30pm
May 28: Tottenham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
May 1: Everton (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 8: Fulham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Liverpool (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 22: Newcastle (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm
May 28: West Ham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
