Recap
Leicester City pummelled Queens Park Rangers at the King Power in Saturday’s third-round FA Cup tie. James Justin opened the scoring for the Foxes, but Jonathan Varane quickly equalised for the visitors. Stephy Mavididi and Facundo Buonanotte gave City a two-goal advantage before Rayan Kolli pulled one back for Rangers before the break. A Jamie Vardy penalty early in the second half restored the cushion and killed QPR’s resistance. Justin bagged a second and Wout Faes scored a screamer from distance in injury time to provide the final margin.
I’ll start with the bad stuff: QPR were the better side for the opening half-hour of the match and both of their goals were the result of some sloppy play by Winks, who should know better. I am…unconvinced…by the Winks/Soumare pairing in midfield.
Other than that? Great match! We put 60% of our shots on target and scored from all six of them so that ticks the “clinical” box. The midfielders behind Vardy (Mavididi, Buonanotte, and El Khannouss) were dynamic in possession and worked hard tracking back.
The fullbacks were good today. It’s been a minute since I could say that, so I wanted to start a paragraph with that even though this isn’t really a paragraph.
Some people are going to say “Oh, it was only QPR.” Those people are technically correct, but you may recall our 0-0 draw against Walsall this year. This could easily have been One Of Those Matches, so credit to the manager and the squad for getting the job done. Will this spark a revival for the team? I have no clue. It felt great, though.
3 Takeaways
- A goalkeeping clinic this was not. Jakub Stolarczyk saved the first shot on target of the match. It was the only save by either keeper.
- He’s not on the scoresheet, but El Khannouss was rampant today. He set up Mavididi’s and Buonanotte’s goals and worked extremely hard in defence. He’s looking better every match, and he already looks pretty good.
- I was genuinely shocked that van Nistelrooy used not only his best available starting lineup but his standard substitution pattern as well. One gets the sense he was sending a message.
The victory sees the Foxes through to the fourth round of the cup. The draw will be held tomorrow following the Arsenal-Manchester United match. Next on the docket, we’ll see Crystal Palace visit the King Power on Wednesday. One week from today we host Fulham in what will almost certainly not be called “The Bobby De Cordova-Reid Derby.”
Leicester City: Jakub Stolarczyk, James Justin, Conor Coady, Wout Faes, Victor Kristiansen, Boubakary Soumare, Harry Winks (Oliver Skipp 60′), Facundo Buonanotte, Bilal El Khannouss (Jordan Ayew 60′), Stephy Mavididi, Jamie Vardy (C ) (Patson Daka 60′)
Queens Park Rangers: Joe Walsh, Jake Clark-Salter, Ronnie Edwards, Kenneth Paal, Harrison Ashby, Nicolas Madsen, Jonathan Varane, Sam Field, Rayan Kolli, Ilias Chair, Koki Saito
Looking for an account to follow? This is a good one.
1’- The King Power is shrouded in fog this morning as the Foxes trot out a shockingly strong side. My guess is that this not being a midweek match played a big role in van Nistelrooy’s thinking.
6’- QPR fail to deal with a speculative ball by Kristiansen, allowing Mavididi to pounce on it with the keeper in no-man’s-land. He can’t find an angle for a pass or a shot and the chance passes.
10’- GOAL! El Khannouss wins a free kick on the left wing. Buonanotte takes it, swinging it across the face of the goal. James Justin reacts first and pokes it into the back of the net.
17’- Close! Former Leicester target Chair finds a little space on the edge of the area and takes his chances. It’s a fine effort, but Stolarczyk makes an excellent save.
19’- GOAL! Winks wins the ball and then gives it away cheaply outside his own area. Varane hits it first time and there’s nothing Stolarczyk can do about this one. That was a full 30 yards out. Oof.
27’- Close! A rare City attack sees El Khannouss pull the ball back for Buonanotte. His shot is block, but it dribbles to Vardy just five yards from the open net. He puts it over the bar. Somehow.
29’- Close! Stolarczyk’s clearance goes straight to Saito. He finds Kolli in ten yards of space between Coady and Faes. The teenager puts it over when he should have at least hit the target.
35’- GOAL! QPR turn the ball over deep in their own half. Mavididi pounces and finds El Khannouss. The Moroccan returns it and the winger slots home from twelve yards. That was against the run of play.
39’- GOAL! Buonanotte carries it forward and finds Mavididi on the wing. He spots El Khannouss’ run and the former Genk man stands up a perfect cross. Buonanotte meets it in full flight. 3-1 to the Foxes.
45+1’- GOAL! Oh my. Winks tries a back pass but instead plays a perfect through ball for Kolli, who pounces on it and slots past Stolarczyk. The Foxes lead 3-2 at the half.
46’- No changes for either side at the break. Off we go!
50’- GOAL! Mavididi tries to clip the ball into the box and Ashby blocks it. With his arm. High above his head. It’s a penalty all day long. Birthday boy Vardy sends Walsh the wrong way to restore the two-goal advantage.
60’- The penalty seems to have stunned the visitors as they haven’t offered much over the last ten minutes. Van Nistelrooy makes a triple substitution, sending Oliver Skipp, Patson Daka, and Jordan Ayew into the fray for Winks, Vardy, and El Khannouss.
62’ – GOAL! Skipp’s first contribution is to play a long ball on the deck for Daka. The Zambian finds Justin’s run on the right and the fullback finishes brilliantly off the far post. 5-2 to the Foxes if you’re keeping score.
65’- The gaffer withdraws Mavididi and introduces Kasey McAteer who is just returning from injury.
76’- There is nothing to report. The match is happening, but it’s not “happening” if you know what I mean.
81′- Bobby De Cordova-Reid comes on for Buonanotte.
90+2’ – GOAL! That’s a goal of the season candidate. Faes wins the ball just inside the QPR half. He charges forward and takes aim from over 30 yards. It’s a screamer that finds the inside of the side netting. Take a bow, son.
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