Stalemate As Leicester City Host Troyes In Seagrave Friendly
A total of 23 players saw action for the Foxes as the two sides played out a competitive 0-0 draw at the Club's headquarters in north Leicestershire.
Manager Brendan Rodgers named an experienced XI, with full internationals Jonny Evans, Jannik Vestergaard, Dennis Praet, Harvey Barnes and Patson Daka all among the starters. None of the players who have featured at the FIFA World Cup were involved.
Daniel Iversen was in goal, while Kasey McAteer, Luke Thomas, Boubakary Soumaré, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Ayoze Pérez were also in the line-up. Meanwhile, Troyes, managed by ex-Foxes defender Patrick Kisnorbo, are in the UK preparing for the resumption of their Ligue 1 campaign.
It was Leicester who started brightest in the biting cold, with Vestergaard glancing Dewsbury-Hall's corner wide. After visiting goalkeeper Mateusz Lis' misplaced pass landed to Barnes, City's No.7 then teed up Praet to riffle a powerful low drive inches wide of the near post.
There was an awkward moment for the hosts on 10 minutes, though, when Lucien Agoumé's header crashed against the woodwork and ricocheted off several players in the area. It was a scare Leicester would ultimately survive, hastily clearing the ball from danger, into the Seagrave sky.
Barnes then curled one high and wide of the Troyes net, before Rony Lopes - on loan with the French outfit from Sevilla - struck the side netting. With Evans taken off in the first half as a precaution, young defender Paul Appiah joined the action alongside Vestergaard at the back.
On 25 minutes, Vestergaard made a crucial intervention, diving in superbly to prevent Mama Baldé from breaking away. A smart stop from Iversen, with his right leg, was soon required to prevent Thierno Baldé from handing Kisnorbo's visitors the lead. McAteer then blazed Barnes' pass over the bar.
Before the break, another brave block from Vestergaard was needed to halt Yasser Larouci's 25-yard half-volley, but it remained goalless. The Foxes pressure continued in the second period, with Erik Palmer-Brown almost sending Pérez's cross into his own net, while Daka was denied at close range by Lis.
The Zambian, however, couldn't get onto the end of Dewsbury-Hall's ball across the middle moments later.
On the hour, it was all change for City, with the introductions of Alex Smithies, Joe Wormleighton, Tom Wilson-Brown, Deniche Hill, Wilfred Ndidi, Marc Albrighton, Sammy Braybrooke, Henry Cartwright, Will Alves, Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy.
Troyes continued to pose a threat, with Amar Abdirahman Ahmed and Gabriel Mutombo missing the target in quick succession. With 20 minutes remaining, Albrighton unshackled himself from Pape Ndiaga Yade on the right flank and crossed deep, but Alves was unable to get his head onto the ball.
There was a chance for Leicester to cut Troyes open on 80 minutes, meanwhile, as Iheanacho carried the ball forward through the centre. His through-ball, though, asked too much of Vardy and the visiting goalkeeper was able to scoop it up unchallenged.
With the latter stages being contested under floodlights, a tight encounter reached its conclusion, finishing in a 0-0 stalemate. Leicester are now one step closer to resuming their 2022/23 campaign - away at MK Dons in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday 20 December (7:45pm GMT kick-off).