Thursday 23 February 2017 23:50, UK
Leicester's Champions League dream seemed to be turning into a nightmare against Sevilla, but Jamie Vardy's vital away goal changed the complexion of the tie. Could the unlikely turnaround breathe new life into their miserable season?
For over an hour of Wednesday's game, the Leicester supporters in the corner of the Sanchez Pizjuan could be forgiven for watching through their fingers. The Foxes had travelled to Spain hoping to put their Premier League woes behind them. Instead, Sevilla set about piling on the misery.
Jorge Sampaoli's side ripped into the beleaguered visitors in the first half, producing an exhibition of slick attacking football which showed exactly why they are pushing Real Madrid and Barcelona so close in La Liga. Leicester had a lucky escape when Kasper Schmeichel saved Joaquin Correa's early penalty, but it wasn't long before Pablo Sarabia headed the hosts in front.
Leicester were all over the place. Claudio Ranieri's side came into the game having lost five straight Premier League games without scoring a single goal, and their nervousness was obvious from the outset. Christian Fuchs almost headed past his own goalkeeper after six minutes. Wes Morgan clumsily conceded the penalty not long after that.
The gulf in class was alarming. While Sevilla sliced through the blue shirts at will, Leicester could barely string two passes together. And while their lack of confidence was a crippling issue, so too was the absence of a game plan. Disconnected pressing left huge gaps for Sevilla to exploit, and passive defending compounded matters.
Leicester averaged 23 interceptions per game on their way to the Premier League title last season, but in the first half they only managed one - and that was despite Sevilla having over 75 per cent of the possession. Leicester could hardly touch them. It was only thanks to Schmeichel that the tie was not already out of reach.
A stinging effort from Wilfred Ndidi hinted at improvement from Leicester after the break, but Sevilla were soon in the ascendency again. Vitolo struck the inside of the post after easily eluding Robert Huth to latch onto Samir Nasri's pass, and then came Sevilla's second, the excellent Stevan Jovetic setting up Correa for the finish.
The outlook could hardly have been bleaker for Ranieri's side at that point, but out of nowhere the away goal changed everything. Substitute Demarai Gray found Danny Drinkwater, whose low cross from the left was met with a thumping first-time finish from Jamie Vardy. It was his first goal in over 12 hours of action. He hadn't even had a shot on target in over six hours.
With its speed and incisiveness, the goal was a throwback to last season and seemed to wake up Leicester's players. Suddenly, Riyad Mahrez was gliding past defenders again, Vardy was sprinting after every loose ball, and Morgan and Huth were blocking everything Sevilla threw at them.
Confidence was restored and the performance followed. There were late scares, with Schmeichel blocking a diagonal header from Vitolo and Adil Rami nodding onto the top of the crossbar, but the visitors threatened too. Their counter-attacks had previously fizzled out before reaching the halfway line, but suddenly they were a weapon again. Mahrez came alive, and Gray even came close to releasing Vardy for an equaliser.
"The first half was very tough," reflected Ranieri afterwards. "We were a little scared, nobody wanted to receive or show for the ball, and Kasper kept the team alive. He saved a penalty, saved some good shots, and slowly we got better.
"We didn't give up and scored the goal which is important. It gives us strength, it gets Vardy back among the goals and it opens up the tie. We know they are better than us. They are a big team, an experienced team, but we have a very big heart."
That heart has been lacking for much of the season, but for a little while at least, the old Leicester returned to give the blue corner of the Sanchez Pizjuan something to celebrate. The Champions League dream is alive, and Leicester can turn their attention to Liverpool on Monday Night Football with the hope that things could finally get better.
