Leicester City 2:1 Cardiff City
City finally claimed their first victory of the season, two goals from Andy King settling a thrilling game against Cardiff at Filbert Way on Tuesday night…
Paulo Sousa made one change to his side with Howard in for Fryatt, facing a weakened Cardiff team missing the considerable talents of Craig Bellamy, Michael Chopra and Jay Bothroyd.
After a hesitant opening the first chance fell to the Bluebirds, with Koumas’s shot being held by on-loan keeper Ikeme after a spot of juggling.
City then had a better spell with crosses from Dyer and Waghorn not finding any takers and Wellens sending a long range effort over the bar. Despite this it was the visitors who took a 25th minute lead completely out of the blue.
Naylor, some 40 yards out on the left, struck what looked like a cross but could have been a shot. It completely deceived the backpedalling Ikeme and ended up in the net.
Cardiff almost extended their lead but Ikeme made a good save from an unmarked Keogh from 15 yards.
City almost went in even at the break but a Howard header was cleared off the line and then Waghorn couldn’t quite convert a Dyer cross at full stretch at the far post.
As has been the case for much of this season, City had nothing to show for a decent performance, but they were to put that right in the second half.
Just six minutes after the break Wellens delievered a precise cross for King to nod past Marshall and City were on level terms.
City had their tails up now, creating chance after chance, roared on by the home crowd. Waghorn and Dyer both sent efforts narrowly wide, and Marshall was almost caught out by an Oakley effort, saving with his knee. Waghorn saved forced a great save from the Cardiff keeper with a low shot, before sending yet another effort just wide.
Such was the pressure on the Welsh side that a goal had to come and it arrived in the 68th minute. A neat passing move saw Neilson feed Wellens, who set up King for a cool finish from close in.
The noise that greeted what turned out to be the winner could have come from a full house and seemed signify a corner being turned in Sousa’s management.
Marshall then gifted Dyer a chance with a wayward ball out but the winger fired his shot against the right hand post.
Yuki Abe came on for his debut in the 81st minute, replacing King who was given a fantastic ovation off the field.
After Burke sent a shot well over Cardiff were done. City’s increasingly polished passing game denied them any meaningful possession and even the five minutes time added on was comfortable.
A delighted Sousa expressed himself as only he can: “I am very happy and we have deserved this win before so it is nice to get under way. I feel the team is closer to my personality now. We had the character, anger and desire to win the game and my image is on them now.”
Having seen second placed Cardiff despatched, City fans now await the visit of table-topping QPR with relish…
Leicester: Ikeme, Berner, Hobbs, Neilson, Morrison, King (Abe 82), Dyer, Oakley, Wellens, Howard, Waghorn (Gallagher 85). Subs Not Used: Logan, Fryatt, Moreno, Moussa, Vítor.
Cardiff: Marshall, Naylor, Gyepes, McNaughton, Hudson, Koumas (Wildig 60), Burke, Whittingham, Rae, McPhail (Blake 69), Keogh. Subs Not Used: Quinn, Heaton, Taiwo, Matthews, Jarvis.
Referee: K G Evans. Attendance: 20,510.
