Leicester 1-2 Chelsea: Maresca adds to former club’s misery
Leicester 1-2 Chelsea: Maresca adds to former club’s misery. Enzo Maresca‘s return to the King Power Stadium was a victorious one as Chelsea beat Leicester City 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Italian, who guided the Foxes back to the Premier League last season, saw his side take an early lead through Nicolas Jackson‘s brilliant finish, but will have been frustrated by their inability to extend the lead during a commanding first-half performance.
However, the visitors continued to assert themselves after the break and eventually wrapped up the points through the impressive Enzo Fernandez, with Leicester pulling one back from the penalty spot in stoppage time through Jordan Ayew.
How the game unfolded:
Chelsea made an utterly dominant start in the East Midlands, camped in the Leicester final third for the opening 15 minutes. The home side were unable to play through the press effectively, surrendering possession back to their visitors with misplaced passes and hopeful long balls.
Unsurprisingly, Leicester’s inability to retain the ball led to the opening goal of the game. Wout Faes’ dreadful attempts to clear a bouncing ball gifted possession to Enzo Fernandez, who poked into the path of the in form Jackson. The Senegalese evaded Caleb Okoli’s challenge effortlessly before producing an excellent close-range finish.
Chelsea felt aggrieved that Wilfred Ndidi only saw yellow for his lunge on Cole Palmer as the Leicester players and crowd grew increasingly frustrated midway through the first half. The home side didn’t make a single pass in the final third during the opening 25 minutes, with Noni Madueke almost compounding their misery with a side-footed effort before the half-hour mark.
Madueke thought he had indeed doubled Chelsea’s advantage just several minutes later after sweeping home an excellent move. However, Marc Cucurella, who laid on the cross for the England winger, had strayed marginally offside in the build-up.
It took Leicester 38 minutes to register their first shot of the match but it was very nearly an equaliser. Kasey McAteer, who was starting his first Premier League match, whipped a left-footed effort inches wide of Robert Sanchez’s far post.
Chelsea continued to control proceedings after the break and were inexplicably unable to double their lead nine minutes into the second half. Jackson’s parried effort fell into the path of Palmer with the goal gaping but the attacking midfielder’s shot was miraculously blocked on the line by his own player, with Madueke unable to get out of the way of Palmer’s tap-in.
There was a sense that Chelsea needed to double their advantage despite their unequivocal dominance and that’s exactly what they did in the 75th minute. The lively Jackson produced a fantastic save from Mads Hermansen in the Leicester goal but Fernandez was on hand to head home the rebound and kill the contest.
Stephy Mavididi felt he should have been awarded a penalty in the closing ten minutes after a coming together with former Leicester defender Wesley Fofana, but Leicester did eventually reduce the deficit with a 95th minute spot kick from Jordan Ayew.
However, it proved nothing more than a consolation as Chelsea held firm for all three points and an important victory.
