Leicester City 1 - 0 FC Porto: Foxes' European triumphs continue
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 27: A general view prior to kickoff during the UEFA Champions League match between Leicester City FC and FC Porto at The King Power Stadium on September 27, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
This midweek clash saw Porto travel to Leicester City in what might be the foxes’ most important ever fixture, certainly the most important match of Group G.
Pre-Match Thoughts
As Porto traveled to the East Midlands to face Leicester City, the foxes’ prepared for what could potentially be the most important fixture in the clubs history.
A match that set Leicester on the big stage, showing the world that they’re ready to fight Europe’s elite for a place at the top.
Their previous Champions League outing saw City travel to Belgium to face Belgian Champions Club Brugge in the opening fixture of their European campaign.
A match which many foresaw the foxes struggling in, most expected Leicester City to come away happy with a draw.
Instead, the foxes hammered Club Brugge 3 – 0, with Marc Albrighton scoring Leicester’s first ever Champions League goal and Riyad Mahrez scoring a beautiful free-kick and from the penalty spot.
With Porto drawing at home to Copenhagen, their European form so far has been underwhelming.
Their fans would have been expecting a big showing tonight in order to make up for lost points in what could potentially be the match which decides who finishes top of Group G.
Tonight’s starting XI #LeiFcp pic.twitter.com/B4UPIAlc8m
— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 27, 2016
Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri elected to start Luis Hernandez, replacing Danny Simpson who suffered an injury scare a few weeks back.
With so many games to play, Ranieri will not want to risk his trusted right-back.
Good news for Leicester City fans is that Kasper Schmeichel is fit again after an injury picked up in training which saw him sidelined for Leicester’s 4 – 1 hammering at hold Trafford.
Kasper’s addition meant that Zieler was back on the bench.
11 inicial/ Starting eleven / 11 inicial#FCPorto #LCFCFCP #UCL pic.twitter.com/Oe7pxsl3Vo
— FC Porto (@FCPorto) September 27, 2016
Leicester City looked to set up with their usual 4-4-2 with Slimani and Jamie Vardy leading the line.
Going into the match, club record signing Islam Slimani had a fantastic record against FC Porto, scoring 6 goals in 6 appearances against the Portuguese side.
As for Porto, they looked to attack Leicester City with a 4-3-3 with Adrian Lopez leading the line alongside Andre Silva and Otavio respectively.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 27: Islam Slimani of Leicester City celebrates after scoring to make it 1-0 during the Champions league tie between Leicester City and FC Porto at Leicester City Stadium on September 27 , 2016 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
First Half
Porto kicked off as the first ever Champions League fixture arrived at the King Power Stadium.
The 3rd minute saw Porto see their first sight of goal as a long ball to Silva was misjudged by Schmeichel who left his goal open.
Luckily for Leicester City fans, Silva’s back was to goal, making the shot difficult and the ball went just wide.
In the 8th minute Layun cut in from the left and tried a shot from range. The ambitious effort was on target but never troubled Kasper Schmeichel.
The 10th minute had half of the King Power stadium jumping for joy as Fuchs’ long throw found Felipe’s head who saw the ball fly just wide of his own net. Close one.
The best chance of the opening third came from Slimani in the 14th minute as his headed effort is saved by Casillas as the keeper does well to get low to meet the ball.
The first booking of the game came in the 23rd minute as Silva entered the referee’s book.
He wasn’t alone in the book for long however as a silly push on a Porto player saw Jamie Vardy receive a yellow card. A silly decision from Vardy to say the least.
Riyad Mahrez lined up the freekick that resulted from Silva’s foul but after much anticipation, the ball hit the Porto wall and nothing came from it.
The only goal came in the 26th minute as Marc Albrighton switched an inch perfect ball into Mahrez’s feet which put the Porto defence on the back foot.
Mahrez proceeded to curl in a fantastic in-swinging corner which beats Jamie Vardy but lands on the head of Islam Slimani.
Well we are playing Porto, who else would it have been?
Leicester City 1 – FC Porto (26, Slimani)
At this point it was all Leicester.
In the 32nd minute Jamie Vardy held off a challenge, turning his defender.
When you score the first Champions League goal in Leicester… pic.twitter.com/jaFDBfGvTk
— BBC Leicester Sport (@BBCRLSport) September 27, 2016
Two minutes later, Luis Hernandez threw a ball to the back post.
As Albrighton volleyed the ball towards goal the referee blew for a foul by Huth.
Following a misjudged challenge by Leicester City captain Wes Morgan, Porto had a freekick just outside the home team’s box.
A great effort from Layun flew just wide of Kasper Schmeichel’s goal.
The 43rd minute saw Spanish legend and FC Porto keeper Iker Casillas come under pressure yet again as Mahrez’s long freekick was put into the box.
Luckily for the Spaniard the referee blew for a foul on Huth. The towering German needed to be more careful from set-pieces as this referee was a little soft.
In the 45th minute Porto won themselves a corner but much to the amusement of Leicester City fans, he blows for halftime.
The Porto players didn’t find it quite as funny.
As the two sides head into the tunnel, the visitors trail 1 goal to nil.
Halftime: Leicester City 1 – 0 FC Porto
Half-time: Leicester City 1-0 FC Porto #LeiFcp pic.twitter.com/qxgY6w7edj
— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 27, 2016
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 27: Danny Drinkwater of Leicester City in discussion with referee Cuneyt Cakir during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Leicester City FC and FC Porto at The King Power Stadium on September 27, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Second Half
Leicester City get the second half underway.
Just a minute later a looping cross tested Casillas in the Porto goal, with Vardy’s presence being felt he rose well to the ball, denying the foxes a second goal.
Another booking in the 49th minute saw Porto’s Pereira enter the book.
There had been so many bookings at this point that I couldn’t keep up.
A fast counter attack in the 54th minute saw Huth foul Silva off the ball, conceding a freekick just outside the Leicester City box.
Huth was the 6th man to enter the book.
Luckily for foxes fans, the freekick sails over the bar.
In the 59th minute, Porto failed to clear the ball multiple times and as the ball fell to Mahrez, he blasted it towards the bottom right corner.
Casillas did well to push it out for a corner kick.
In the 63rd minute Porto decided a change had to be made, with a double change seeing Herrera and Jota replace Andre and Lopez respectively.
In the 72nd minute, new man to the game Jota tested Schmeichel at his near post however Kasper was equal to it.
Schmeichel was called into action again just 3 minutes later as Herrera struck from distance.
Makeshift right-back Luis Hernandez made a fantastic last ditch tackle in the box in the 77nd minute to deny Porto.
As the ball rebounded off the Porto man, the ball went out for a freekick.
Porto used this opportunity to make their last change as Torres was replaced by Corona.
Leicester City made their first change in the 82nd minute as the goalscorer Islam Slimani was replaced by club legend Andy King.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 27: Robert Huth and Andy King of Leicester City celebrate the win as do Daniel Amartey and Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel after the UEFA Champions League match between Leicester City FC and FC Porto at The King Power Stadium on September 27, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
New man Corona came closest for Porto as he struck the woodwork with a fantastic effort, narrowly deflected by Marc Albrighton.
Had Leicester City’s left midfielder not made contact with the ball it would have flew into the top corner.
Claudio Ranieri made his second change in the 88th minute as PFA ‘Player of The Year’ Riyad Mahrez was replaced by last weekend’s goalscorer Demarai Gray.
Things were getting tense as in the 93rd minute, the ball bounced around the Leicester City box.
Marc Albrighton finally managed to get the ball away, much to Leicester fans’ relief.
Leicester’s final change came in the 93rd minute as Musa replaced Jamie Vardy.
With the referee’s whistle difficult to hear over the Leicester crowd’s whistling he finally blows.
The nervy end to the game see’s Leicester City see out their first ever home win in the Champions League! What a time to be alive!
Full Time: Leicester City 1 – 0 FC Porto
Full-time: Leicester City 1-0 FC Porto #LeiFcp pic.twitter.com/dt6NBeSnZt
— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 27, 2016
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 27: Islam Slimani of Leicester City (R) celebrates with team mates as he scores their first goal during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Leicester City FC and FC Porto at The King Power Stadium on September 27, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Post-Match Thoughts
As Leicester City hold on to a historic win, they see themselves remain at the top of Group G, ahead of Porto who remain on just 1 point after 2 games.
A fantastic display of determination, skill and most of all, heart, this Leicester side has once again defied odds.
Leicester City’s next opponents in the Champions League Copenhagen also won their match after beating Club Brugge 4 – 0.
This means that Leicester City now sit at the top of Group G on 6 points, with Copenhagen on 4 and Porto with only 1 point.
MAHREZ: “We knew it would be tough and we’d have to work hard to get the points. We’re really happy with it.” #LeiFcp
— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 27, 2016
A completely opposite display to what we saw on Saturday in Leicester City’s clash with Manchester United, Leicester dominated the majority of the game.
Looking stronger from set-pieces, Ranieri’s men rarely looked uncomfortable in their lead.
The last 10 minutes were tense, as is any match that is 1 – 0 with 10 minutes to go. However the players dug deep and used every last drop of energy to preserve their lead.
The same energy and determination that won them the Premier League title last season.
Slimani once again came out trumps on FC Porto, a team which he has now scored 7 goals in 7 games against.
Now we know why he’s called the ‘Dragon Slayer’
MORGAN: “@slimaniislam is a handful and he works hard for his goals so he deserves a lot of credit. Pleased for him tonight.” #LeiFcp
— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 27, 2016
Leicester City host Southampton this weekend in the Premier League before the international break which will see them out of action until the 15th of October when they travel to Stamford Bridge to face former club member N’Golo Kante.
Fans will be hoping Ranieri has found a solution to their leaking defence, however it is apparently that their form at home is a polar opposite to their traveling form.
Should they play as they did today, fans will be optimistic that that will seal the deal.
More from Foxes of Leicester
This article originally appeared on 
