Nigerian International and Leicester forward, Kelechi Iheanacho was in top form as Leicester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Swansea City at the King Power Stadium in Saturday’s English Premier League encounter.
The former Manchester City striker was making his first top-flight start since October 2017. January signing Fousseni Diabate was handed his league debut, with regular Wilfried Ndidi completing the African contingents in Claude Puel’s team to face the in-form visitors – who have Ghana’s Jordan Ayew leading their line.
The Foxes were on the front foot in the opening exchanges and benefitted from an Iheanacho moment of brilliance to get the curtain raiser. The forward skillfully beat two defenders to lay the crucial pass for Jamie Vardy who slotted past Lukasz Fabianski.
The 21-year-old created a chance for Mali youngster Diabate to mark his bow with a goal but his ferocious strike was met with equal quality from Fabianksi. The rebound fell to Iheanacho but his poked effort was cleared off the goal line by Alfie Mawson, thus, denying him his maiden EPL strike for Leicester.
In the 30th minute, the hosts thought they had doubled their lead after Iheanacho played a quick one-two with a marauding Ndidi, whom after scoring had his goal ruled out for offside by referee Anthony Taylor.
Leicester would later be made to rue those missed chances as Swansea captain Federico Fernandez grabbed the leveller eight minutes after the break and Carlos Carvalhal’s men defended stoutly to earn a share of the spoils.
They are now unbeaten in their last four English Premier League games [seven in all competitions] and have gone clear of the Premier League relegation zone.
Iheanacho had 68 minutes under his belt while debutant Diabate, just like Ndidi, was left on for the entire duration of the tie. Wilfried Bony was brought on for the visitors in the 71st minute and Ayew was taken off in the dying minutes.
(GOAL.COM)
