DEAN SMITH’S Leicester snatched a crucial win on his home debut – just in the nick of Tim!
Belgian defender Timothy Castagne rode to the rescue from his right-back position with 15 minutes remaining to seize three precious points with only his second strike of the season.
But it could turn out to be his finest moment in a blue shirt if it sparks life back into the Foxes who frantically clawed themselves out of the relegation zone on goal difference at Everton’s expense.
It was just the kind of backs-to-the-wall performance Leicester’s pessimistic fans needed to restore their faith in their team after last week’s encouraging second-half improvement against Manchester City.
But boy did they do it the hard way as they came from behind to scrap their way to the tightest of derby wins.
Wolves hit the front through Matheus Cunha and looked to be well on course for the win they needed to steady any relegation nerves.
But Kelechi Iheanacho slotted home a penalty before Castagne pounced to slam Victor Kristiansen’s low cutback beyond Jose Sa to spark wild scenes of celebration.
With a trip to relegation rivals Leeds on Tuesday, followed by a Monday night home clash with the Toffees, survival is very much in their own hands now.
And Smith rightly celebrated with his backroom team as he gave every one of his players a pat on the back as they exited to racuous applause.
However it wouldn’t be Leicester if they didn;t produce a few heart-stopping moments at the end.
Daniel Iversen brilliantly pawed a netbound Ruben Neves free kick over, before the home fans were made to suffer an anxious wait while VAR confirmed Wout Faes had not handled in the box under pressure from Craig Dawson.
Foxes chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top,’ Srivaddhanaprabha was present to welcome his new management team of Smith, Craig Shakespeare and John Terry to their first home game in charge.
But it only took 13 minutes for Wolves to whip the ‘Welcome,’ mat from under the new arrivals’ feet as they cashed in on yet another costly individual defensive error.
It came from the one class act Smith was relying on to step up to the plate in the absence of Leicester’s midfield talisman James Maddison.
The Foxes’ best player had taken ill and was in no fit state to try and single-handedly save his side’s season as he was convinced to his sick-bed.
So the last man Leicester needed to malfunction was Youri Tielemans, the Belgian World Cup star who was handed the captain’s armband, in Maddison’s absence.
Unfortunately for Tielemans he became captain calamity as Mario Lemina successfully read Wout Faes’ rolling pass to his countryman and Tielemans first touch opened the door ajar.
Lemina’s eyes lit up as he pounced to bundle the Belgian aside and nicked the ball which he swiftly moved on to Matheus Cunha.
And the Brazilian striker took two touches before lashing the ball low past Daniel Iversen who had been left hopelessly exposed and was powerless to prevent the ball hitting his net.
It was a disastrous start for the Foxes who were being hunted down by Julen Lopetegui’s pack of snarling Wolves.
Pablo Sarabia had a shot blocked by Caglar Soyuncu before Craig Dawson saw his first time shot from the renound deflected for a corner.
Leicester were on the ropes but they gradually regained their composure and it was their oldest Fox, Jamie Vardy, who threw them a lifeline after 34 minutes when he earned his side a penalty.
Dean Smith’s boom-or-bust decision to play with three strikers, Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho and Patson Daka suddenly paid out a welcome dividend.
Iheanacho, operating at the heart of a trio of attackers behind Vardy, threaded an inch perfect pass to coincide with Vardy’s diagonal run.
Jose Sa was tempted off his line and we all knew what the outcome would be when Vardy got to the ball first and poked it beyond him.
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The Portuguese keeper’s studs came down on Vardy’s foot and the old boy toppled to the turf as ref Andy Madley pointed to the spot and booked Sa.
It took three nerve-shredding minutes to treat Vardy as Iheanacho stood, ball under his arm, chewing gum nonchalantly as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
And the Nigerian backed up the bravado when he took a stuttering run before cooly waiting for Sa to make his move, then rolling the ball into the Wolves net for his fifth goal of the season.
Suddenly it was Wolves’ turn to wobble as they were forced back after the break and Leicester’s pressure paid off when Castagne put them to the sword with his late winner.
See how all the action from the King Power Stadium…
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
