Pre-Season Continued For City With Durham Win
Goalless at the break, City took the lead through Thibaud, with the defender heading home from a Jutta Rantala free-kick before Academy player Saunders sealed victory; Rantala again the provider.
Around a month into their pre-season preparations, Leicester got the ball rolling midweek against Sunderland, who made the trip to the East Midlands for a behind closed doors friendly. The Black Cats took the lead from the penalty spot, before Rantala, Noémie Mouchon and Yuka Momiki completed the comeback.
The weekend's visitors were Durham, who also play in the Barclays Women's Championship, and provided a fitting test for Amandine Miquel's side before they jet off to Australia to feature in the Perth International Football Cup.
With nothing to separate the sides at the break, the deadlock was broken when last season's top goalscorer Rantala whipped in a free-kick which Thibaud turned in. Leicester's advantage was then doubled when Academy player Saunders, again set up by the Finland international, found the net.
The Foxes' next opponents will come in the form of Manchester City, when the two sides meet in the first match of the Perth International Cup; going head-to-head on Wednesday 28 August (11:15am kick-off) at HBF Park.
Their fourth consecutive Barclays Women's Super League campaign then kickstarts on Merseyside, when Leicester face Liverpool on Sunday 22 September (2pm kick-off).
All times BST.