Leicester leave it late as Tottenham are left to rue missed chancesSpurs 1 - 2 Leicester
Andros Townsend 19 pen
Leonardo Ulloa 83
Jeff Schlupp 90 +1:10
By the end of this month Tottenham will have played on average twice a week since the turn of the year, but at least they no longer have the FA Cup to deal with after conceding two goals in the closing stages at the hands of an ecstatic Leicester City.
It had looked like it would not be Leicester’s day after they spurned some good chances to draw level, but Leonardo Ulloa equalised seven minutes from the end with a tidy finish before, two minutes into injury time, Jeffrey Schlupp sent a Danny Simpson cross over Michel Vorm to spark wild celebrations among a visiting support who have had few moments to celebrate this season with their side languishing at the foot of the Premier League.
“There is no point going overboard because we won a Cup game with a late winner, but I do think our performance was very encouraging,” Nigel Pearson, the Leicester manager, said. “We showed resilience defensively, and plenty of knowhow as well, but we also created plenty of chances.”
Mauricio Pochettino had utilised the depth of his squad, making nine changes to the team that limped into a first-leg Capital One Cup semi-final lead against Sheffield United on Wednesday courtesy of Andros Townsend’s penalty. The England player put them ahead from the spot once again after 19 minutes, but Leicester displayed plenty of the spirit that has galvanised their fight for Premier League survival in recent weeks to produce a dramatic smash and grab.
Spurs’ penalty arrived when Roberto Soldado was fed by Erik Lamela and the Spanish attacker drew a clumsy challenge from Liam Moore. They could easily have been behind but for the strong hands of Vorm denying Andrej Kramaric and Schlupp; however, once Townsend converted, sending Mark Schwarzer the wrong way, they looked comfortable up to the interval and spurned several opportunities to extend the lead. Lamela was denied by the head of Marcin Wasilewski nearing the half-hour, while Étienne Capoue, Soldado and Paulinho all found Schwarzer in the way.
A second goal ultimately proved elusive. “We are disappointed because we played well,” Pochettino said. “When you have the opportunity to kill the game you have to do it. In the last 10 minutes we made some mistakes and are out of the FA Cup, and for that I am very disappointed.”
Reduced to counterattacking throughout the opening period, most effectively through Schlupp, Leicester were incensed when Kramaric went clear and fell at the feet of the advancing Vorm just before the break.
Instead of earning a penalty, the Croatia striker was booked for diving. There was slight contact between Kramaric and Vorm’s outstretched right leg and it was a difficult call for the referee, Robert Madley, but fury emanated from the away dugout for several minutes afterwards.
Pearson brought the incident up unprompted in his press conference, suggesting it is time for the introduction of a TV official. “I feel it’s an honest mistake, not something done on purpose. I’m a big believer on introducing technology to aid officials.
“It’s unfortunate, I can say that today, but these things can cost people jobs. If we lose a league game because of a decision like that, we’d be speaking about it differently. There shouldn’t be an issue in financing another official who can see replays quickly.”
Soldado hit the sidenetting 15 seconds into the second half and Lamela fired over before the unmarked Ulloa wasted Leicester’s best chance yet by heading Jamie Vardy’s corner into the ground, allowing Vorm to claim.
Tottenham dropped deeper and deeper with the one-goal advantage as the game progressed, inviting Leicester to attack, although Lamela scuffed a good chance to put the tie to bed a minute later. Such wastefulness proved costly when Ulloa controlled Schlupp’s wayward attempt on goal, turned 90 degrees and found the bottom right corner.
Harry Kane was put on in pursuit of a winner, but the decisive goal came at the opposite end. Simpson fizzed a cross towards the penalty spot and Schlupp, who was not deemed fit enough to go to the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana, sent it over the reach of Vorm’s mistimed dive.
Guardian
