19 August 2024
Leicester 1 Tottenham 1
The return of The Foxes to the Premier League pitted them with a home match against Tottenham first up. Postecoglou’s side had broken their transfer record this week when they signed Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth for £65m. He made his debut leading the line for Spurs with Son and Johnson on the flanks in their front three.
Tottenham made a positive start and almost took the lead when Bentancur made a run to the near post on a corner and his glancing header was cleared off the line by a Leicester defender. The away fans were in full voice and hoping for a winning start to the campaign. Early signs were suggesting that they may well be right.
As the hosts cleared the ball once again it was lifted back into the box. Johnson took the ball on his chest and hit a thunderous volley from a tight angle. Hermansen made a good reaction save to deny the Welshman. At this point in the game, it seemed it was just a matter of time before the visitors broke the deadlock. The Foxes were struggling to get out of their own half.
Postecoglou’s side worked a short corner to Son, who put in an inch perfect cross to Solanke at the back post. Completely unmarked, he sent his diving header straight at the Leicester keeper, who made a routine save. Not quite what you expect from such an expensive marksman. Bournemouth seemed to know that offer was way above what the player is worth.
The hosts’ goal was under such severe pressure that Hermansen must know how it feels to be one of those Welsh guards at the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. Don’t throw those bloody spears at me! Porro whipped in a dangerous cross and Romero headed narrowly wide with the keeper at full stretch. You wondered at this point how many chances Spurs needed to score.
Finally the visitors broke the deadlock when a ball into the box from Maddison was flicked into the bottom corner by Porro. The away end erupted as the effort nestled into the bottom corner. It was no more than Spurs’ deserved from these early exchanges. Unless Leicester changed something, it seemed like it was going to be a long night for their fans.
Maddison then clipped a free kick into the back post and Johnson met it on the volley. He caught it sweetly but his shot flew past the far post by the narrowest of margins. The keeper was rooted to the spot such was the pace of the effort. Tottenham fans were not phased as chances seemed like London buses at this stage, there will be another one in no more than eight minutes.
Into the second half, Maddison and Son linked up brilliantly before getting the ball to the feet of Solanke. With a clear sight of goal, he drilled his shot straight at The Foxes’ keeper, who parried it away. You felt that Tottenham needed another goal. This game had been pretty much one-way traffic up until this point but the slender lead still left them open to the sucker-punch.
Bentancur and Johnson exchanged a neat one-two in the box but the midfielder than sent his scuffed shot straight at the keeper again. Ange Postecoglou must be contemplating a trip to Turkey in the future as this Spurs’ team are going to be the cause of him tearing his own hair out. How this game was one-nil after all these chances was just baffling.
Then came that moment we are so used to witnessing. Tottenham went all Spursy. Against the run of play, Leicester came forward and as a cross came in, Vardy had lost his marker to head home at the back post. In classic fashion, the striker then pointed his Premier League badge and signalled one followed by zero to the travelling fans. Letting them know he has won more trophies than them.
The goal seemed to knock the wind out of the sails of Tottenham and the free flowing passing game dried up, as did the chances. In fact, in what remained of the game, The Foxes had the best chance to take all three points. Vardy was in acres of space and was played in with just Vicario to beat. The keeper made a great save with his leg to deny the hosts a winner.
Both sides had to settle for a point but for Leicester this will be seen as a positive start to their campaign. Despite all the talent of Tottenham and how much they dominated the game, the hosts found a way to get their first points on the board. That grit and determination will hold them in good stead for the season ahead if they can replicate it.
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