Leicester dominated the Europa League spherical of 16 first leg with Rennes with Mark Albrighton and Kelechi Iheanacho profitable 2-0 within the first leg.
A tense begin for Brendan Rodgers’ aspect flew out of the water when Albrighton volleyed Harvey Barnes from the sting of the penalty space after the half-hour mark, after Caglar Soyunko’s defensive cross over the Rennes defence.
And whereas the Foxes have been comparatively unfazed by their French opponents within the first leg, Ihanacho’s effort at balls in stoppage time appears like a serious second of their season – Rodgers’ males netted a fourth consecutive win in all competitions, in addition to their first European. Clear sheet for the season.
Leicester have been with out Jamie Vardy within the first leg at King Energy Stadium as champions Fox have been unsure for Sunday’s large sport at Arsenal this weekend, with Batson Dhaka beginning the place of former England worldwide and James Madison on the bench.
However Daka struggled to become involved within the early exchanges, with Rin beginning higher within the first 20 minutes. Striker Gayton Laborde, who has scored 16 objectives this season, got here shut early when he met Adrian Travert’s cross contained in the Leicester penalty space, however managed to cross the ball off the publish from Kasper Schmeichel.
Leicester’s early nerves have been on once more as just a few sloppy moments in possession led to extra probabilities for Rennes. First, Martin Terrier noticed a shot that was saved by Daniel Amarty, earlier than winger Benjamin Beauregaud volleyed vast from contained in the penalty space.
However Leicester took over after the primary quarter of the match. As possession and stress elevated, Soyunko performed a high-quality cross down the correct aspect of Rennes’ protection line in the direction of Barnes. A superb elimination from Leicester No. 7 allowed him to enterprise into the penalty space, earlier than he superior to Albrighton, who fired the ball into the highest nook from the sting of the penalty space.
Rennes improved after the break between the primary half and noticed two separate penalty hoots waving in his opening transfer within the second half.
James Justin and Soyunko have been each accused of utilizing their arms to defend a free kick, whereas Rennes defender Knife Ajoerd was solely capable of finding Schmeichel after each instances.
Leicester Metropolis’s Mark Albrighton (proper) celebrates with Yuri Tillmans after scoring
Leicester goalkeeper Schmeichel was known as up twice in fast succession, an effort pushed Terrier together with his toes earlier than doing the identical to disclaim Labourde from contained in the penalty space. Flavian Tate then hit the ball vast of the Dane’s close to publish as Rennes’ efforts to show the Foxes aim failed.
And there was sufficient time for Ihanacho to go house for a second at break to place the sunshine of day between them and their opponents.
Rodgers: The mission just isn’t over but
Whereas Leicester and Rogers know that is solely half the time in a European tie, their fourth straight win in all competitions has actually relieved the stress on their coach.
Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates his staff’s second aim of the night
An unsuccessful begin to 2023 created questions on whether or not Rodgers took the Foxes so far as they might go, however the Foxes are lastly again on monitor at each ends of the sector.
Thursday’s match was not the ultimate scene that spoiled soccer followers this week, however Rodgers used Wednesday’s match between Actual Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain as a warning to his staff after this victory within the first leg.
“I instructed the boys earlier than the sport, ‘It doesn’t matter what occurs immediately, it is simply half the time,'” Rodgers mentioned. “I even talked about the match final evening, PSG towards Actual Madrid. For me, profitable twice is the results of endurance.
“It’s a must to keep targeted and endure and battle slightly bit. We all know we’ve got the standard to win there (the second leg) as properly.”
Brendan Rodgers celebrates his staff’s 4th consecutive win in all competitions towards Rain
That high quality comes within the type of Harvey Barnes, who – like his staff – is starting to get his greatest again. Targets in each video games within the earlier spherical towards Randers and three objectives of their final three Premier League video games have been backed by one other set of Brighton’s opening sport on this confrontation.
“Harvey was an actual menace to us, he arrange the aim for Mark and it was an ideal end,” Rodgers added. Barnes is approaching the primary anniversary of his damage final season. Now it was time to see if that purple patch introduced him again to England’s account.
Leicester likes to defend now
That is now three consecutive clear sheets for Leicester Rodgers, who failed to attain a single exit within the calendar 12 months previous to this race.
The Foxes will likely be topic to higher assessments of their line of defense within the coming weeks – most notably towards Arsenal and Manchester United which Leicester should go to earlier than the tip of the month – however this staff is starting to indicate its capability to make troublesome distances off the ball.
Leicester have been comparatively uneasy in protection towards Rennes
“We’re sturdy now defensively,” Iheanacho mentioned. “We have got a clear sheet now. And we have to maintain it going. Go in and beat 1-0 within the first half – we’re joyful to try this and we’ve got that security now.”
Rodgers added: “Everybody mentioned earlier than, [Rennes] It was a staff that scored a aim. PSG has 56 [in Ligue 1] And so they have 53. So limiting them to only one shot on the right track is nice.
“We all know they’re a great staff. We needed to work exhausting and scored two nice objectives and loved our sport.”
Opta stats: Rennes’ horrible report in England
- Leicester have gained every of their final 4 matches in all competitions for the primary time since January 2023 (a sequence of 5), whereas the Foxes have gained three consecutive European membership competitions for the third time of their historical past.
- Having didn’t maintain a clear sheet of their earlier 9 matches in all competitions, and conceding 17 objectives throughout that interval, Leicester have stored three clear sheets in a row for the primary time since February 2023.
- Rennes’s 2-0 defeat to Leicester means the French aspect have now misplaced on all 4 visits to England in European membership competitions.
- Since 2016-2017, solely Kelechi Iheanacho (11) has scored extra objectives in European membership competitions for Leicester than Harvey Barnes (9-6 objectives, 3 assists).
- Leicester’s Mark Albrighton has scored his first aim within the European membership competitors since he scored towards Sevilla within the UEFA Champions League in March 2017. For the reason that Foxes returned to the Premier League in 2014-15, solely Jamie Vardy (6) has scored in additional competitions than his ( 5 – Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Cup, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Convention League).
What subsequent for Leicester?
Sunday March 13 4:00 PM
Departure 4:30 pm
Leicester journey to Arsenal within the Premier League on Sunday, reside Sky Sports activities From 4 pm the match begins at 4:30 pm. The second leg of the Europa League spherical of 16 towards Rennes is subsequent Thursday, March seventeenth at Roisun Park.
