Maresca: Not An Easy Win

- Leicester City defeated Cardiff City 2-1 in the Sky Bet Championship
- Manager Enzo Maresca analysed a fourth straight victory for his side
- Wanya Marçal-Madivadua and Cesare Casadei scored the Foxes’ goals
- It was a last-gasp winner from the Italian debutant that secured three points

Cesare Casadei, signed on loan from Chelsea earlier this week, came off the bench to score an injury-time winner on debut for the Foxes, much to the delight of his Manager, and the Blue Army, as King Power Stadium erupted in the closing moments.

“Casadei, since day one, is that kind of player who plays in an attacking midfielder position and they need to arrive in the box,” Maresca reflected in his post-match interview. “It is the only solution to score a goal. One of his strengths is to be present in the box and today he scored.”

Leicester had earlier taken the lead via Wanya Marçal's first senior goal, a sensational hit which was cancelled out by an equally stunning Aaron Ramsey strike on the stroke of half-time, leaving the scores level at the break.

“As I said before the game, it was a difficult game,” the 43-year-old reflected. “They are a good team. I think we probably played our best first half over the season, we were very good. We created many chances.

“The first half should have finished at least 1-0. We conceded just one shot on goal from long distance, it was a brilliant goal. And then, [in the] second half, we started thinking about the goal they scored.

“It was a very good 45 minutes and, [in the] second half, we concede again some counter attacks. In the second half, we started in a different way. This is our league, even if people struggle a bit.

“It is not easy to win and fortunately we won again. At the end we win, and this is important. First of all, a team for me who try to play, they are always a little bit open and exposed.

“But the good thing for me has been the first half, but there are many things to improve. For sure, in the second half, we needed to adjust some things.”

A fourth straight win for the Foxes across all competitions and a third successive Sky Bet Championship success, it’s the Club’s best-ever start to a season. For Maresca and the team, concentration is not on breaking records.

The Italian added: “To be honest, I don’t think too much about this. It’s a good thing for the fans, for the Club, but we need to be focused and think about the next game.”