Leicester Defeated In Plymouth
Mustapha Bundu’s 21st-minute breakaway goal separated the sides in Devon and lifts Argyle up to 16th in the Sky Bet Championship. The Foxes remain top of the standings, level on points with Ipswich Town, but above them on goal difference. Both the Tractor Boys and Leeds United, a point behind in third, play on Saturday, but City have one game in hand – against fourth-placed Southampton later this month. While the damage of Tuesday’s loss at Millwall, a similar tale of frustration, was limited by City's promotion rivals being held to stalemates, Enzo Maresca’s intent was on extending the gap this time. The Italian made three changes to the XI with Patson Daka, James Justin and Abdul Fatawu returning.
The Foxes had the ball in the net after just eight minutes – although the linesman’s flag would silence the away end’s celebrations. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s driving march through the middle made the chance. The Academy graduate was then able to thread the ball through for Daka to side-foot a confident finish into Michael Cooper’s bottom corner, but it wouldn’t stand. It had been a promising start from the Foxes, who tested the home goalkeeper moments later. This time it was Wilfred Ndidi’s cutting through-ball which unlocked the defence for Ricardo Pereira to pierce through and shoot. Cooper, though, made a strong stop to frustrate the Championship leaders. More intricate play from Leicester led to another opening on 14 minutes, Stephy Mavididi fizzing a curler narrowly wide of the far post from the left-sided angle of the penalty area.
Maresca’s men were overwhelmingly on top, but were nevertheless behind midway into the first half. In what was Argyle’s first shot on goal, Bundu collected Adam Forshaw's low diagonal and carried it into the box, eventually picking out a spot in the far bottom corner. Home Park was rocking and City had work to do. The flow of the game had become broken and neither side could create in truth. Harry Winks did his best to test Cooper when he launched an effort from range, a foot or so wide. Bundu also struck from distance but couldn’t keep it down. Dewsbury-Hall’s cross on the byline, meanwhile, was deflected towards his own goal by Forshaw, although Cooper read the situation well to stop it getting City back level. The half-chances continued into the second half, with Dewsbury-Hall firing straight at Cooper at the outset. A huge opportunity landed at the feet of Daka on 55 minutes, though. Dennis Praet, fresh from the bench, did incredibly well to free Fatawu down the right channel and the Ghanian skidded it across goal, only for Daka to scuff his touch and watch the ball bobble wide.
The pressure continued with Mavididi’s low drive going awry before a Praet header looped over the bar. When Praet chested the ball down in the box, Daka had another sight of goal, but his half-volley flew wide of Cooper’s near post. That would be the Zambian’s last involvement, with Jamie Vardy brought on in his place. Leicester were being forced to sit on the edge of the Plymouth box but, in the 74th minute, Wout Faes barrelled forward. The Belgian’s cross was intended for Dewsbury-Hall, although it landed at Mavididi’s feet instead. His first-time shot, however, was too tame to worry the Pilgrims’ goalkeeper. Vardy had a sniff with just two minutes of normal time to go after Mavididi’s clever release. Cooper was there again, though, to make the stop. Jannik Vestergaard headed a Dewsbury-Hall corner wide in added time too, before Vardy couldn’t reach Mavididi’s searching cross at the far post. The noisy locals sang of staying up at full-time. Leicester's mission to go up needs more work, they now have a full week to prepare for West Bromwich Albion at home.