Leicester 2 Tottenham 4: Watch Kasper Schmeichel punch into his OWN net as Foxes suffer final-day heartbreak again

GARETH BALE scored the controversial winner which left Leicester City fans nursing broken hearts on the final day of the season.

Harry Kane earned his third Golden Boot after scoring what could be the final goal of his Tottenham career.

Jamie Vardy scored twice from the penalty spot for the THIRD time this season and clocked up 150 senior career goals.

And when the dust finally settled on a rip-roaring game – which had more twists than an Olympic bobsleigh run – Spurs had finished seventh to qualify for the Europa Conference League at Arsenal’s expense.

Meanwhile Leicester, despite leading twice, lost out on their Champions League dreams and had to settle for a Europa League place for the second season in succession.

At least they had the consolation of being able to parade the FA Cup after the final whistle.

Make no mistake, Leicester and Brendan Rodgers did not deserve their season to end like this.

Their tears of joy at Wembley turned into tears of sorrow and frustration as Spurs fought back from behind twice to cruelly deny them a Champions League place.

The Foxes have been one of the feelgood stories of the season and no-one could grudge them this after they spent 242 days in the top four places until briefly dropping down a place in midweek.

It had all started so well.

They needed an early goal to steady their nerves – and test the bottle of Chelsea and Liverpool.

No prizes for guessing who provided it.

Vardy has been overshadowed by his strike partner Kelechi Iheanacho’s astonishing goals blitz in recent weeks.

Then Youri Tielemans stole the show at Wembley with his stunning FA Cup-winning strike.

On Sunday the stage was set for a duel between two of the Premier League’s greatest ever strikers.

And Vardy initially came out on top against Harry Kane – who thought he might have to make do with his third Golden Boot as he wrestled it back from the previous holder…. Vardy!

Until the home side buckled late on and Kane had the last laugh.

Vardy started the ball rolling when he earned the Foxes an early penalty after 15 minutes.

He pinned back his ears and sped at a distinctly average Spurs defence and skipped past Davinson Sanchez with ease.

He was on his way past Toby Alderweireld too when the Belgian stopper stuck a lazy-leg backwards in an attempt to block his progress.

You could almost see Vardy’s eyes light up as the old Fox accepted the open invitation to accept the inevitable contact and hit the turf.

Referee Anthony Taylor wasn’t sure and allowed play to rage on for more than half a minute until Vardy headed over.

Then VAR Peter Bankes had a word in his ear and invited him to take a butcher’s at the pitchside TV monitor.

Once he had a squint, Taylor pointed to the spot and Vardy sent Hugo Lloris the wrong way to give his side the goal they craved.

Spurs couldn’t argue the home side weren’t worth it as Lloris had already saved a Caglar Soyuncu header and James Maddison had a powerful shot headed away for a corner by Alderweireld. 

However the Foxes suffered a crippling blow which turned the game on it’s head after 21 minutes when French defender Wesley Fofana pulled up with a muscle injury and left the pitch in tears.

His place was taken by Wilfred Ndidi who ended the season as he started it as a stand-in centre half while Papys Mendy came on to anchor midfield.

Kane hadn’t been seen until 31 minutes when he floated a cross straight into Kasper Schmeichel’s gloves.

At the other end Lloris had to work a lot harder to keep out a ferocious 35 yarder from Marc Albrighton.

It was thrilling stuff as Tottenham hit back and Soyuncu had to brilliantly block Kane, six yards out after Son had set him up in the box to deny Tottenham’s wantaway striker.

However four minutes before half-time Harry hammered home what he hopes will be his farewell goal for Spurs.

Son’s corner was headed out and Matt Doherty’s fierce shot was headed away by Ndidi before Son centred and Kane smashed in an unstoppable volley.

Such was the pace of his shot, the ball actually flew between Kasper Schmeichel’s legs

That goal took Kane to 23 goals for the season – one clear of Mo Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.

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Although the news from Villa Park was good Leicester knew they needed to do the business themselves and pushed on after the break.

They took the lead again with another Vardy penalty seven minutes after the restart.

Vardy ran on to a sublime reverse pass from Maddison and Sanchez foolishly tugged at Vardy who toppled.

VAR again confirmed the offence and Vardy cooly slammed his second spot kick past Lloris in exactly the same spot.

That goal clocked up Vardy’s 150th senior career goal and how he celebrated it.

But Spurs were far from done and Ryan Mason sent on Lucas Moura and Gareth Bale to try and turn the screw on Leicester’s makeshift defence.

It paid off spectacularly when Schmeichel bizarrely punched the ball into his own net under pressure from Sanchez to level from four yards.

Leicester were reeling now and Schmeichel blocked a Son shot with his foot before Mendy produced a heroic clearance at the back post as Moura waited to pounce.

The game then erupted in controversy when Leicester broke on Spurs and had the chance of a 3v1 break abruptly halted when Harry Winks deliberately chopped down Iheanacho.

The home fans bayed for blood but all they got was a Winks booking.

Their fury increased when Spurs then won it through Bale – with Kane again playing a huge and controversial part.

He was set up in the box by Son’s backheel but as he beat Soyuncu the ball reared up and struck his hand.

Schmeichel managed to shoo him away from goal but Kane laid the ball back to Bale who was steaming in to score with a drilled low shot.

Leicester protested and VAR clearly showed Kane had used a hand – but it was unintentional and not in the immediate lead-up to the goal.

Try selling that to heartbroken Foxes fans.

Their Champions League dreams were in tatters.

And Bale made things even worse in the dying seconds, when he waltzed through Leicester’s by-now non existent defence to make it four.

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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk