Leicester City 1-2 Southampton: 10-man Saints dump the Foxes
10-man Southampton overcame Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in the Premier League as they won 2-1 on Saturday afternoon. Goals from James Ward-Prowse and Shane Long bagged three points for the Saints despite seeing Jan Valery sent off in the first half.
Southampton started the game on the front foot and had the first sight on goal in the fourth minute when Oriol Romeu dispossessed Ben Chilwell and released Stuart Armstrong, who dragged his effort wide from 20 yards out. Another chance fell to Armstrong moments later but the Scotsman screwed his shot into the side-netting.
And the Saints’ persistent pressure finally paid off after they were handed a penalty when Shane Long was bundled to the ground in the box by Nampalys Mendy. James Ward-Prowse stepped up and dispatched the penalty to give Southampton a deserved lead in the 11th minute.
Leicester were lucky to not goal two goals behind when Jack Stephens’s header from a Ward-Prowse corner was kept out by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. Southampton’s young full-back Jan Valery was shown a yellow card for a high challenge on Chilwell before Leicester were almost level through Wes Morgan, however, the skipper’s effort was scrambled off the line by Jan Bednarek.
At the stroke of half-time, Valery was shown his second yellow for a cynical pull-back on Albrighton. That looked to give the Foxes an advantage until Shane Long scored from a tight angle in the first-half stoppage time to double Southampton’s lead.
Leicester, following a double substitution at half-time, came flying after the break, with James Maddison testing Alex McCarthy. And Claude Puel’s move worked as the Foxes pulled a goal back in the 58th minute when Ricardo got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Ndidi, who bundled the ball home.
Substitute Harvey Barnes had a chance to equalise towards the end as Leicester threw the kitchen sink at Southampton’s goal but his shot was blocked as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints managed to cling onto three vital points away from home.
Read more: Time for goodbye: Southampton should offload these 2 talented stars soon and invest elsewhere
Delighted with the gritty victory with 10-man, here’s how some Southampton fans reacted.
Bednarek man of the match!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Namenotfound (@Namenoftound) January 12, 2019
Amazing performance. Again.
— Tomasz Lisiecki (@tomek_lisiecki) January 12, 2019
Congratulations from Normandy lads, absolutely superb 🔴⚪⚽️👊#saintsfc #RalphExpress
— RobbieInFrance (@EditSouthampton) January 12, 2019
WE DIDN’T BOTTLE A LEAD!
This is a day for the history books!
— JDeleay (@JDeleay) January 12, 2019
Under the circumstances that was a amazing team performance, backs against the wall, down to our bare bones due to injuries and suspensions. Well done @ShaneLong7 for the assist AND a quality timed goal, also @Prowsey16 get in there!!!!! Cracking pen🙌🙌🙌
— GREEEEEEEN ARRRRMY (@tbm321) January 12, 2019
What a win! So happy! Get in there you saints 💪🏼❤️
— Brandon Butt (@25buttsfc1) January 12, 2019
What a brilliant battling gutsy performance Fantastic #COYS
— John Griffin (@Griffinjohn38) January 12, 2019
Get in. Great work Saints. Onwards and upwards. 😇 #WeMarchOn
— Mark Carter (@markdcarter) January 12, 2019
From the team that has lost more points from a leading position this season that was IMMENSE!! #WellDoneSaints
— Steve Burdett-Clark (@SteveClarkCars) January 12, 2019
Second half with 10 men? No problem! #saintsfc #wemarchon
— Anthony🐧 (@AnthonyGarnett7) January 12, 2019
Massive win. Vestergaard, Romeu and Matt Targett immense today. Superb.
— Dom Mooney (@DomMooney1) January 12, 2019