3 years ago
51
ARTICLE AD BOX
Victor Osimhen had missed several chances in the first half before scoring two goals after the breakLeicester were denied victory in their Europa League opener at King Power Stadium after Napoli's Victor Osimhen scored twice in the second half.
Osimhen reduced Leicester's 2-0 lead after 69 minutes with an exquisite touch past Kasper Schmeichel, before his header made it 2-2 late on.
Ayoze Perez had scored a first-half volley and Harvey Barnes doubled Leicester's lead after the break.
Leicester summer signing Patson Daka also had a goal ruled out for offside.
The two sides, widely tipped as being among the favourites to win the competition, delivered an entertaining encounter in front of a vocal crowd at the King Power.
Leicester goalkeeper Schmeichel was called into action on several occasions, while Barnes proved a constant threat at the other end.
The hosts looked set to take pole position in Group C too, but Osimhen dealt a late blow before Leicester's Wilfred Ndidi was sent off for a second booking.
It leaves the group wide open with Leicester still to travel to Italy, as well as facing Spartak Moscow and Legia Warsaw.
Leicester clawed back in enthralling battle
Ayoze Perez was one of five changes to the starting line-up made by Brendan Rodgers for LeicesterThere was a carnival atmosphere at the King Power to welcome European football back to Leicester and the match did not disappoint.
Napoli set the tone with their first shot on target after only three minutes and Leicester responded when Barnes was denied from close range, before setting up Perez's volley with a perfectly-weighted cross.
Timothy Castagne, along with the help of Schmeichel, somehow kept out Napoli's Piotr Zielinski, while Lorenzo Insigne and Hirving Lozano came close.
The Italians had been wasteful and when Barnes coolly thumped in Leicester's second, they looked set to come out on top.
But a sublime one-touch passing move saw Osimhen dance into the box before he flicked the ball past Jannik Vestergaard and over Schmeichel.
And the Napoli forward then hung well in the air to nod in a second and complete the comeback.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
Leicester City
Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
Squad number27Player nameCastagne
Squad number6Player nameEvans
Squad number23Player nameVestergaard
Squad number5Player nameBertrand
Squad number17Player nameAyoze Pérez
Squad number25Player nameNdidi
Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
Squad number29Player nameDaka
Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
Squad number7Player nameBarnes
Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
Squad number8Player nameTielemans
Squad number9Player nameVardy
Squad number10Player nameMaddison
Squad number37Player nameLookman
Napoli
Squad number25Player nameOspina
Squad number2Player nameMalcuit
Squad number13Player nameRrahmani
Squad number26Player nameKoulibaly
Squad number22Player nameDi Lorenzo
Squad number99Player nameZambo Anguissa
Squad number8Player nameRuiz
Squad number20Player nameZielinski
Squad number11Player nameLozano
Squad number9Player nameOsimhen
Squad number24Player nameInsigne
Squad number5Player nameJuan Jesus
Squad number7Player nameElmas
Squad number21Player namePolitano
Squad number33Player nameOunas
Squad number37Player namePetagna
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Schmeichel
- 27Castagne
- 6EvansSubstituted forSöyüncüat 45'minutesBooked at 76mins
- 23VestergaardBooked at 53mins
- 5Bertrand
- 17PérezSubstituted forTielemansat 45'minutes
- 25NdidiBooked at 90mins
- 42SoumaréBooked at 32minsSubstituted forMaddisonat 78'minutes
- 29DakaSubstituted forLookmanat 71'minutes
- 14IheanachoSubstituted forVardyat 87'minutes
- 7Barnes
Substitutes
- 4Söyüncü
- 8Tielemans
- 9Vardy
- 10Maddison
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 18Amartey
- 20Choudhury
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 22Dewsbury-Hall
- 33Thomas
- 37Lookman
Napoli
Formation 4-3-3
- 25Ospina
- 2MalcuitSubstituted forNunes Jesusat 84'minutes
- 13RrahmaniBooked at 90mins
- 26Koulibaly
- 22Di LorenzoBooked at 33mins
- 99Zambo AnguissaSubstituted forPetagnaat 84'minutes
- 8Ruiz
- 20ZielinskiSubstituted forElmasat 64'minutes
- 11LozanoSubstituted forPolitanoat 64'minutes
- 9Osimhen
- 24InsigneSubstituted forOunasat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Nunes Jesus
- 7Elmas
- 16Idasiak
- 21Politano
- 33Ounas
- 37Petagna
- 44Manolas
- 59Zanoli
- 72Boffelli
Live Text
Match ends, Leicester City 2, Napoli 2.
Second Half ends, Leicester City 2, Napoli 2.
Amir Rrahmani (Napoli) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Amir Rrahmani (Napoli).
James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Juan Jesus (Napoli).
Ademola Lookman (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Second yellow card to Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) for a bad foul.
Adam Ounas (Napoli) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City).
Attempt missed. Amir Rrahmani (Napoli) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Matteo Politano with a cross following a set piece situation.
Adam Ounas (Napoli) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Youri Tielemans (Leicester City).
Substitution, Leicester City. Jamie Vardy replaces Kelechi Iheanacho.
Goal! Leicester City 2, Napoli 2. Victor Osimhen (Napoli) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Matteo Politano with a cross.
David Ospina (Napoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ademola Lookman (Leicester City).
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Amir Rrahmani.
Substitution, Napoli. Juan Jesus replaces Kevin Malcuit.
Substitution, Napoli. Andrea Petagna replaces André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
- Our coverage of Leicester City is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment
- Everything Leicester - go straight to all the best content
English (US) ·