Three Wins From Three For Dominant City
Brendan Rodgers was able to welcome back a string of internationals including Demarai Gray, who played from the off, while Kasper Schmeichel – skipper for the clash – and Ben Chilwell both started the fixture in Cambridgeshire.
A flurry of first-half opportunities saw Cambridge stopper Dimitar Mitov pull off a host of saves, first denying Gray with a routine stop before Youri Tielemans and Jamie Vardy tested the Bulgarian.
City’s best opportunity of the first period saw Ricardo Pereira have a strike blocked by Mitov and then hit the post with a neat backheel as the Portugal international right-back went close at Abbey Stadium.
Marc Albrighton’s low shot was clawed out of the bottom corner by Mitov on 34 minutes, while Tielemans’s 25-yard strike was also turned to safety by the Cambridge ‘keeper.
After the interval, James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Hamza Choudhury all made their first appearances of pre-season after returning from the UEFA European Under-21s Championships with England.
It was Barnes, who after only a few minutes of action, next went close as he sent a deflected attempt just wide from the edge of the box, before another effort looped up off Daniel Jones as Cambridge survived another spell of pressure.
However, City finally found a breakthrough just before the hour-mark as Chilwell picked out centre-back Harry Maguire, who timed his run well to head in past the defiant Mitov.
Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho then had an opportunity to make it 2-0, only for him to drag his shot across the face of goal from a tight angle having done well to round Cambridge’s goalkeeper.
But Iheanacho persisted and grabbed his first goal of pre-season with seven minutes to play. Fine play from Barnes saw the young winger pick out the Nigeria international frontman, who headed in at the far post.
There was still time for a third goal, too. This time, Academy graduate Choudhury was the man to get his name on the scoresheet, as he calmly slotted into the bottom corner to round off a convincing victory.
Major moment
It felt like it was only a matter of time before Leicester City made the breakthrough, and it came on 59 minutes thanks to a header from Harry Maguire.
That opened up the floodgates as the Foxes scored a further two goals through Kelechi Iheanacho and Hamza Choudhury.
They have now scored six goals in three pre-season outings, and have registered two clean sheets during that period.
Who impressed?
Speaking on LCFC TV, co-commentator Gerry Taggart said: “The one player that stuck out in the first half for me is Youri Tielemans. He was at the centre of everything, he’s always looking to be positive and as a young player watching on the bench, even though he’s a young player himself, he plays way beyond his years.
“Even players like James Maddison can sit and watch him look for that forward pass to Jamie Vardy, or for players coming in off the line. He was the standout player in the first half for me.”
Coming up…
Leicester City next face a double-header of fixtures as they contest concurrent pre-season friendlies against Stoke City at bet365 Stadium and Rotherham United at New York Stadium on Saturday.
Both games will kick off at 3pm BST, with the clash against Stoke being broadcast live on LCFC TV, while live updates will be provided for City’s trip to Rotherham.