SUPER SUB Kelechi Iheanacho headed the Foxes into the quarter-final of the FA Cup for the second successive season with a dramatic last gasp header.
It would be easy to blame dozy Seagulls defender Dan Burn for going to sleep when Cengiz Under and Youri Tielemans worked a quick corner deep into stoppage time and the Belgian crossed for Iheanacho to power home his header.
Kelechi Iheanacho nods home right at the end to put Leicester throughCredit: AFP
The Foxes celebrate as the striker nicked a surprise 94th-minute winnerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
It’s all over for the Seagulls after switching off at a last-gasp Leicester cornerCredit: Paul Marriott
But he was only doing what the rest of us felt like doing at the end of this utterly boring affair.
It took 83 minutes for the first shot on target and, although everyone’s eyes were on referee Mike Dean, if you want a true summary of this instantly forgettable FA Cup tie look no further than Dean’s standside assistant Darren Cann.
He appeared on TV earlier in the day on a pre-recorded episode of the popular quiz show Pointless.
So at least he was prepared for this utterly pointless affair!
Cann lifted the jackpot – and Iheanacho must feel he did the same!
Sadly for Leicester, the only other real incident of note came when Leicester’s ever-present defender James Justin was stretchered off after 75 minutes.
It was the last thing Brendan Rodgers needed ahead of Liverpool’s visit on Saturday.
Justin had played every minute of Leicester’s season until he landed awkwardly trying to control a long clearance and his right knee buckled on contact with the turf.
It looked serious at first however, after treatment the England contender was at least able to sit up as he was stretchered off, to raise hopes it may not be as bad as it initially seemed.
Otherwise there was little happening to set pulses racing.
Between them Rodgers and Graham Potter deleted 15 players from the teams they fielded in the Premier League at the weekend.
With a crucial league game against Liverpool Rodgers used this tie to let comeback pair Jamie Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi get rid of some ring rust.
But things didn’t exactly work out as planned as Leicester – never mind Vardy – only managed four touches in Brighton’s penalty area in a dismal first half.
Daniel Amartey and Cengiz Under hail late matchwinner Kelechi IheanachoCredit: Reuters
Brendon Rodgers saw Kelechi Ihenacho nod his Leicester side into the FA Cup quarter-finals four minutes into stoppage timeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is under the eye of Brighton in the FA CupCredit: Paul Marriott
Perhaps the best way to sum it up would be to point out it was the only FA cup tie, so far this year, which didn’t produce one shot on target in the first 45 minutes.
And when Ayoze Perez lost his footing and was booked by Dean for sending Pascal Gross crashing, it was only the THIRD foul of the game!
Brighton will look back on missed chances – don’t they always.
And in Percy Tau and Andi Zeqiri they have the looks of a promising pairing up front – however that will be little consolation for tumbling out just as they thought they were heading for extre-time.
Leicester’s debutant right-back Vontae Daley-Campbell tussles with Brighton striker Percy Tau before the low-key tie had a dramatic climaxCredit: Paul Marriott
Man Utd legend Gary Neville trolls Liverpool after rival Reds’ title charge takes another dent with Brighton defeat
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
