Leicester City of England attacker, Kelechi Iheanacho continued his stunning form in front of goal with another sizzler for The Foxes, and his effort helped them seal a 2-1 victory against visiting Crystal Palace in the English Premier League.
Megasportsarena.com reports that, playing along with fellow-Super Eagles’ star, Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi in The Foxes’ starting line-up at King Power Stadium, ‘Kels’ helped the hosts storm back from a goal down after just 12 minutes with his tenth goal of the season.
In what became a Monday thriller at King Power, Iheanacho scored a sensational goal and set up another as Leicester recovered from Wilfried Zaha’s shock opener, with his fourth goal in four games, to boost their UEFA Champions League qualification hopes with another victory.
Iheanacho got on top of his game to spark a spirited second-half fightback, setting up Timothy Castagne for the equaliser within five minutes of the restart, before emphatically rifling in his 14th goal in 14 games in all competitions to complete the turnaround 10 minutes from time.
Having threatened to leave the door to Champions League qualification ajar for their top-four rivals, the victory sees Leicester consolidate third spot, seven points clear of fifth-placed West Ham, while Palace remain 13th, 11 points clear of the relegation zone but not yet mathematically safe.
Iheanacho got the man of the match award with nine points out of en, Ndidi gained six and Palace’s Nigerian-born dazzler, Eberechi Eze went home with seven on the cards, as Jamie Vardy twice threatened to mark his 350th senior career appearance with an early goal for Leicester, but he was repelled by The Eagles’ goalkeeper, Vicente Guaita.
The Foxes’ bright start was stopped in its tracks by a familiar foe on 12 minutes. After Christian Benteke was adjudged to have legally dispossessed Youri Tielemans, Eze waltzed through the midfield, released Zaha through on goal and, just as he had on his last four visits to the King Power, the Ivory Coast international found the net.
Zaha’s clinical finish past Kasper Schmeichel took his tally for the season to 10 goals – his joint-highest in a Premier League campaign – and laid the foundation for Palace’s stubborn resistance through to the break, which was typified by Patrick van Aanholt’s block to prevent Ndidi driving Leicester back on level terms.
Palace refused to afford Leicester the time and space in the first period, but it took barely five minutes for the hosts to respond after the interval. Iheanacho capitalised on a defensive mistake from Cheikhou Kouyate and rolled the ball into the path of Castagne, who curled his first home Leicester goal into the top corner past Guaita.
Castagne’s equaliser survived a VAR check for a potential handball by Iheanacho in the build-up, and the Foxes were fortunate to escape without falling behind for a second time five minutes later, when a crucial last-gasp challenge from Jonny Evans prevented Benteke slotting home from Jairo Riedewald’s selfless square pass.
Benteke passed up another opportunity to restore Palace’s lead when he sent a free header from a corner tamely into the arms of Schmeichel, and Leicester made them pay as their relentless pressure eventually told.
The evening’s number one hero had also set up Vardy for an effort which was ruled out for offside, and another which the Leicester striker flashed across the face of goal, while Tielemans curled a shot wide of the post before the Nigerian capped an inspired performance with the winner.
Iheanacho arced a brilliant run in behind Scott Dann and Van Aanholt, checked inside onto his left foot and unleashed an unstoppable effort into the roof of the net that left Guaita with no chance, handed Leicester a seven-point cushion in the race for the top four and had them dreaming of the Champions League.
Leicester’s coach, Brendan Rodgers said afterwards: “Kelechi is a talented player. Over the last few months he’s been absolutely incredible. It wasn’t just his goal tonight but his work rate, he wants to press the game. He has no ego whatsoever and he works so hard.”
Palace’s boss, Roy Hodgson added: “Leicester scored quickly after the break but after that we looked as though we were seeing the game through reasonably well. Kelechi Iheanacho’s quick turn and strike is difficult to defend.”
Ihenaacho, whose 80th minute proved to be the winning goal and he has now scored 14 goals in same number of gams across all competitions, told Sky Sports: “I was in the box and it was on my left foot.
“I wasn’t thinking about anything else – shift and shoot. When you have confidence in your game it makes you perform really well and it keeps coming and you keep scoring.”
