- Chris Maguire converted a free kick from 20 yards to open the scoring
- Goals from Demarai Gray and Jeffrey Schlupp wrapped up the victory for Claudio Ranieri’s men
- A total of 22 Leicester City players took to the field
- Summer signings Ahmed Musa, Luis Hernandez and Ron-Robert Zieler all featured
Leicester City began their 2016/17 pre-season campaign with a 2-1 victory over Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Claudio Ranieri fielded all 22 players included in the City squad he took to Oxford, as summer signings Ron-Robert Zieler, Luis Hernandez and Ahmed Musa all donned a Leicester shirt for the first time.
It was League 1 new boys Oxford who would take the lead in the first period, as Chris Maguire curled in a free kick from 20 yards with just 14 minutes gone.
But the Foxes responded well and when Demarai Gray made a yard for himself deep in the Oxford box, the tricky wideman made no mistakes, firing in off the post to make it 1-1.
A much-changed City side emerged after the break, and it was Academy graduate Jeffrey Schlupp who would win it for his side, converting from distance to make it 2-1 with just over 20 minutes to play.
An early effort from Leonardo Ulloa deflected just over the bar on four minutes as the Foxes kicked towards the glaring sun in the first period.
And despite a flurry of attacks, it was Oxford who would go on to take the lead through Maguire, who curled in a free kick from 20 yards just before the quarter-hour mark.
Midfielder Danny Drinkwater then sent a low drive towards goal that Oxford stopper Simon Eastwood was equal to, before the Premier League champions eventually drew level shortly after.
Ulloa did well to win possession high up the field and release Gray, who shifted the ball onto his right foot and drilled in off the post with 28 minutes gone.
Argentine striker Ulloa had a chance of his own six minutes later, but after rising well to meet Ben Chilwell’s cross, he nodded just over under pressure.
Ranieri made five changes to his side at the break, with Zieler, Hernandez, Matty James, Schlupp and Tom Lawrence all coming on for the second half.
It was Schlupp who carved out the next opportunity, only for substitute Aaron Martin to put in a superb last-ditch challenge to block the Ghana international’s shot on 52 minutes.
A further six changes came for the Foxes shortly after, with Marcin Wasilewski, Daniel Amartey, Callum Elder, Admiral Muskwe, Liam Moore and Musa all taking to the field.
Opportunities for City to take the lead followed, with Chilwell sending a powerful drive over, before Musa forced Eastwood into a fine stop with a fearsome strike on 67 minutes.
And just two minutes later, after a spell of sustain pressure, the Foxes were in front, as substitute Schlupp converted a low drive with his left foot past Eastwood to make it 2-1.
Zieler was called into action immediately after Schlupp’s strike, as the German international got down well to hold onto Ryan Taylor’s low effort.
The City stopper was there again with just under 10 minutes to play, this time denying substitute Jonny Giles’ powerful strike.
And after keeping hold of the ball well in the late stages, City began their pre-season campaign with a positive 2-1 victory over Michael Appleton’s men.
The Foxes’ pre season continues on Saturday, when they take on Celtic in their first International Champions Cup fixture at Celtic Park.
OXFORD: Eastwood, Ribeiro (Long 73), Dunkley, Nelson (Martin 44), Skarz, Crowley (Giles 64), Lundstram (c), Rothwell, Maguire (Ashby 64), Taylor (Roberts 83) Thomas (Jeacock 83)
SUBS NOT USED: Buchel, Cundy, MacDonald
GOAL: Maguire 14
CITY FIRST HALF XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Huth, Morgan (c), Chilwell, Drinkwater, Choudhury, Gray, Mahrez, Okazaki, Ulloa
CITY SECOND HALF XI: Second-half XI: Zieler, Simpson (Moore 61), Hernandez, Huth (c) (Wasilewski 61), Chilwell (Elder 61), James, Drinkwater (Amartey 61), Lawrence, Schlupp, Ulloa (Musa 61), Okazaki (Muskwe 61)
GOALS: Gray 28, Schlupp 69
ATTENDANCE: 9,487
REFEREE: John Busby