Pre-Season Concludes With Sevilla Success On Filbert Way
A strong squad and starting XI was named by Brendan Rodgers for the final pre-season friendly against the Spaniards, ahead of the new Premier League season kicking off in a week's time.
The Foxes began in a 4-2-3-1 system, with Timothy Castagne operating in a more advanced position on the right and Harvey Barnes on the opposite flank, either side of lone striker Jamie Vardy.
And it was Barnes who created the first meaningful chance of the game after 10 minutes, taking Wesley Fofana's cross-field pass in his stride, flicking the ball over Lucas Ocampos before bending it just the wrong side of the far post.
The England international winger was central to the next passage of attacking play too, robbing Sevilla of possession and feeding Vardy to his left, but once City's No.9 cut back onto his right foot, the visitors had enough bodies back in the six-yard box to block the shot.
Sevilla had opportunities of their own and could have levelled just over halfway through the first period, albeit somewhat fortuitously, when Papu Gómez's out-swinging free-kick took a nick off Fofana and forced Daniel Iversen into a sprawling diving stop, tipping the ball past the post.
Back at the other end, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall played Vardy through and this time he unselfishly cut the ball back to Maddison, who had three or four defenders blocking his route to goal, but still managed to twist and turn to unleash an effort at goal that Namanja Gudelj deflected out for a corner.
From the resulting set piece, Dewsbury-Hall was the architect of another Maddison chance, though this time it was 'keeper Marko Dmitrovic who was in the way of his fierce strike. The 23-year-old could have had a hat-trick of assists in the space of just of few minutes had Vardy finished off his latest splitting pass.
Ricardo Pereira went down with an injury with a little under 10 minutes to go until the break and was brought off, with Youri Tielemans coming on in his place, leading to a shift in the midfield.
Rojiblancos, meanwhile, looked to be in from an aerial cross into the box, which sailed over Jonny Evans' head, and a neat touch from Ivan Romero took the ball under control, though Fofana's last-ditch sliding tackle was expertly timed and prevented a certain shot on goal.
Maddison's free-kick from the edge of the box was the last action of the half, though there just wasn't enough dip on the ball to take it the right side of the crossbar.
A double half-time change saw Kasper Schmeichel and Daniel Amartey introduced for Iversen and Fofana and Leicester kept the pressure up in the second period.
Following James Justin's mazy run, which failed to materialise into an effort on goal, Maddison tried his luck from range, though Kiki Salas got his body in the way of the shot, which was bound for Dmitrovic's goal.
Leicester's No.10 then turned provider with a clever pass to Tielemans, who in turn found Vardy, though the Club's all-time record Premier League goalscorer was unable to beat Dmitrovic.
Barnes forced the shot-stopper into another save moments later, though he was unlikely to be beaten from the tight angle from which the shot was taken.
It was his last action, replaced by Dennis Praet shortly after the hour mark. Another double substitution followed, as Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi came off for Patson Daka and Boubakary Soumaré.
Dewsbury-Hall finally broke the deadlock on 68 minutes. Collecting the ball from Maddison, he cut inside onto his left foot and, via a deflection which deceived Dmitrovic, saw the ball tuck into the bottom corner.
The away side still showed signs that they were looking for a positive result. Substitute Jesús Navas fired narrowly over the crossbar, before Nacho Quintana struck the side netting from range, although Rodgers' men remained in the ascendency.
A quick-fire brace of chances were presented to Daka in quick succession, firstly an attempt from the edge of the box which had to be tipped away, before his header cannoned back off the post. The lively Zambian created a third chance which was once again saved by Dmitrovic.
Marc Albrighton's introduction, alongside Papy Mendy, for Maddison and Dewsbury-Hall, marked City's final changes of the evening, ahead of the last meaningful action - an attempt from Praet - deflecting over.
Major moment – KDH wins it
It was a deserved victory for the hosts, who dominated proceedings and found the goal that their performance deserved in the second half, through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, though the finish itself was slightly fortunate to beat Marko Dmitrovic. It could have been more comprehensive but City will settle for a win on the eve of the new campaign.
Coming up – Brentford (H)
Brentford provide the first test of Leicester City's 2022/23 Premier League season. It's back at King Power Stadium in a week's time, with a 2pm BST kick-off scheduled for Sunday's fixture.