IT was Jamie Vardy’s 33rd birthday – but it was Danny Ings who provided the icing on the cake for Southampton with the late winner which avenged THAT defeat!
Eleven weeks ago sorry Saints were a laughing stock after crashing to a record 9-0 home defeat at Leicester’s hands.
Danny Ings scored the winner to give Southampton the perfect revenge tonic at LeicesterCredit: Getty – Contributor
Ings’ header beat Kasper Schmeichel to give Southampton a victory that tasted so sweetCredit: Reuters
So they deserve nothing but credit for the way they have responded to the darkest night of their lives – as a goal in Stuart Armstrong and Ings saw Saints come from behind to gain revenge.
However in a game riddled with VAR decisions Leicester were denied a late equaliser as Jonny Evans strayed marginally offside and VAR cut Leicester fans celebrations short.
This should have been the briefest pre-match team talks of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s career.
If there was any Southampton player not desperate to get out there and avenge that October 25 humiliation they shouldn’t have boarded the team bus at St Mary’s.
Proud pros do not take kindly to having their noses rubbed in the smelly-stuff and Ralph wouldn’t have taken long to remind his players of the need to cleanse that stain on their season.
To be fair to Saints’ sinners they earned their redemption the hard way as they came from behind to stun the Foxes.
Only world champs Liverpool have bettered their record of five wins and a draw in their last eight games – identical form to Manchester City and Chelsea at the sharp end of the table.
By half-time they had gained the respect of any cocky Leicester fan who assumed this would be a routine day at the office.
In fact they could and probably should have gone in ahead after Ings rattled Kasper Schmeichel’s crossbar twice just before the break.
The striker is fast becoming Saints’ own Jamie Vardy figure after banging in nine Premier goals in nine league starts prior to kick off.
Within six minutes only the brilliance of Kasper Schmeichel prevented Ings from taking his tally to double digits.
Caglar Soyuncu smacked an ill-advised pass from Harvey Barnes off Ings who was suddenly in the clear with only Schmeichel to beat.
Jamie Vardy’s goal was chalked off by VARCredit: Rex Features
Jonny Evans also had a strike chalked off by VARCredit: Reuters
But the great Dane, like his father Peter, stood his ground to brilliantly block Ings’ first attempt and then the rebound with his feet to come out on top of this duel.
Yet despite starting on the back foot, it was Brendan Rodgers Foxes who took the lead with a classic sucker-punch to stun Saints after 14 minutes.
Ryan Bertrand fouled Ayoze Perez who was cute enough not to milk the moment.
He jumped to his feet and whipped a speedy free kick into the acres of space behind Saintrs snoozing defence.
Jamie Vardy naturally, was not so sluggish and he took off before rolling a perfect pass across the Southampton goal.
Belgian midfielder Dennis Praet somehow managed to keep pace with his teammate and gleefully steered the ball past Alex McCarthy at the back post.
Despite a wait for VAR to confirm Jamie Vardy was onside, it was clear Praet had legitimately broken his duck for Leicester.
To their credit Southampton didn’t crumble and levelled within five minutes
Ings swept the ball into the Leicester box, james Ward-Prowse dummied and Stuart Armstrong curled in a shot which took a wicked deflection off James Maddison to send Schmeichel the wrong way.
It was Scotland international Armstrong’s first Saints goal for a year, since he scored against Derby in the FA Cup last January.
Vardy hit back and almost then took advantage of a ricochet as Ricardo Pereira’s block on Hojberg saw the ball bounce beyond Saints defence.
Vardy sprinted clear to beat Alex McCarthy and find the net but the guilty grin on Vardy’s face told it’s own story and VAR confirmed what the striker already knew – that he was yards offside.
Ings was also frustrated when his near post flick bounced off the turf and beat Schmeichel only to bounce off the bar.
And the striker’s luck was out again just before half-time when he hit a screamer which again bounced off the woodwork with Schmeichel still sailing through the air in vain.
Southampton’s confidence grew and Soyuncu had to clear a Stephens shot off the line just after the break before VAR then reared its head with a couple of key decisions.
Leicester sub Kelechi Iheanacho brilliantly bundled the ball past McCarthy while lying on the turf. But VAR ruled the Nigerian was offside when Vardy flicked on a Maddison free kick.
“It’s not football any more,” chanted disgruntled Leicester fans, whose afternoon was about to get even worse when Saints snatched the lead with nine minutes remaining.
Saints sub Che Adams played a 1-2 with Redmond and sent Ings through on goal and, despite Schmeichel getting a touch the ball bounced into the Leicester net.
Foxes fans prayed for VAR to come to the rescue but Ings was onside.
And their misery was complete with one minute of regulation time left when Jonny Evans headed home a Maddison free kick, only for VAR to spot he had strayed offside.
Saints’ revenge mission was complete!
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
