Leicester City vs Braga. UEFA Europa League Group G.
The King Power Stadium.
Report as Leicester move three points clear in Europa League Group G thanks to goals in each half from Kelechi Iheanacho, a third from substitute Dennis Praet and a late fourth courtesy of James Maddison
Friday 6 November 2020 08:30, UK
Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice as Leicester City thrashed Braga 4-0 to keep up their perfect start in the Europa League group stage.
A touch of fortune helped Iheanacho with both his goals, his first a bundled tap-in after 20 minutes when goalkeeper Matheus could not hold his heavy touch and allowed him a close-range finish, before a significant deflection off Bruno Viana saw his 25-yard drive beat the goalkeeper again two minutes into the second period.
He turned provider with a wonderfully disguised pass from a shooting position to tee up Dennis Praet midway through the half (67) before James Maddison got on the scoresheet after evading Raul Silva's challenge with 12 minutes remaining.
The victory moves Leicester three points clear at the top of their Europa League group, ahead of their visitors, with three wins from three games - and already on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stages.
If there were any worries remaining about how seriously the Foxes are taking the Europa League this season, Brendan Rodgers' decision to retain seven of the line-up who won at Leeds only 72 hours prior would have extinguished that doubt.
Against another side with a 100 per cent record from their opening two games, the hosts would have impressed their manager with how they were straight into their stride, but both teams routinely saw their back threes turn into fives without the ball, restricting a route to goal at either end.
It took a nicely disguised ball from Maddison to carve out the first real chance of the night, which would give Leicester the lead. Iheanacho's heavy touch looked to have turned his pass into Matheus' body, but a stroke of luck saw it rebound off the goalkeeper and deliver the striker a tap-in.
At the other end, Viana should have done better when rising above James Justin from a corner which he nodded straight at Kasper Schmeichel, but in a half of few other chances, a moment of magic from Maddison could have put Leicester in full control moments before the break.
In a reversal of roles, Iheanacho's run and perfect pass found the dangerman just outside the box, and after turning inside Viana with an exquisite touch, pulled a superb full-length stop out of Matheus with his bottom-corner-bound effort.
Moments like that can prove pivotal in games, but two minutes into the second period the Foxes put aside any concerns with another fortuitous moment, when Viana's unwitting deflection on Iheanacho's long-range effort took it into the far corner beyond the stranded goalkeeper.
Braga had momentary hopes of a comeback when Joao Novais poked the ball through for Paulinho, who planted the ball wide from a fine position on the left of Schmeichel's box.
That was about as good as it got for the visitors after the break, as Leicester continued to move through the gears and then add a third when Iheanacho, looking likely to shoot from another lovely Maddison ball, instead rolled it through for Praet to slot home moments after coming on.
The Foxes summed up their nickname even with such a convincing advantage, harrying and pressing their opponents into mistake after mistake, and saw Maddison score the goal his performance deserved 12 minutes from time when he fired past Matheus in the final chance of note.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers told BT Sport: "We had to work for it. By the end, we were very good, it was a tight first half, with a couple of things to put right in terms of our defending. But second half, after we got the goal we were very dynamic, very strong. We created a number of chances, and it ended up as a great victory for us.
"He's (Iheanacho) a boy who I see every day in training, I know when I put him in he gives his all. His first goal was fantastic, he's scored another one, created the third for Dennis. He's always ready, he knows Jamie Vardy's one of the best strikers in the world, but he plays a wonderful part in ensuring we continue with our momentum and I thought he was excellent."
Iheanacho was certainly excellent in attack for Leicester but Maddison, who was kicked from pillar to post throughout, was a class act and looked back to his best after a stuttering start to the season.
Maddison made Iheanacho's opener with a lovely pass and played a part in his second too, before getting on the scoresheet himself with the fourth. Leicester could have added more to their impressive tally on the night with Maddison pulling the strings, alongside the increasingly impressive Cengiz Under, throughout.
Leicester's 3-4-3 looks to suit them in their current guise and while perhaps not a system of design in some ways given their injury problems, it certainly suits their number 10.
Leicester host Wolves on Super Sunday live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm; Kick-off at 2pm.
Braga face a tough trip to second-placed Benfica on Sunday night in the Primeira Liga; Kick-off at 8pm.
Jamie Carragher and Steve Bruce are among the guests on this week's Pitch to Post Preview Podcast.
Sky Sports pundit Carragher joins Peter Smith and Adam Bate to look ahead to the big Super Sunday clash between Man City and Liverpool, while Steve Bruce is on the line to discuss Newcastle's Friday Night Football trip to Southampton and the form of star striker Callum Wilson.
Also on the show we analyse how Chelsea have turned around their defensive problems, how Leicester have coped with injury problems, and Adam makes a bold Pitch.
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