SportsKelechi’s Goal Wins Leicester First Community Shield In 50 Years

Kelechi’s Goal Wins Leicester First Community Shield In 50 Years

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August 07, (THEWILL) – Just as he did when he scored to qualify Leicester City for the final of the FA Cup which they went on to win for the first time in 52 years, Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho was on the scoresheet again to hand the Foxes the Community Shield for the first time in 50 years in a 1-nil win over Manchester City.

The super-substitute was introduced into the scoreless match by manager Brendan Rodgers in the 79th minute with many Nigerians wishing he was brought in sooner and wondering what he was going to do against a Pep Guardiola’s City side desirous to win the trophy.

Yet, Iheanacho continued his shining fortune in the Wembley Stadium to spoil the City debut of the Etihad’s latest acquisition and current most expensive player in English football history, Jack Grealish, by winning and scoring a very late penalty to give Leicester cause to celebrate.

Grealish was brought in for Samuel Edozie six minutes after the hour mark to add some creative spark to the City midfield and tip the oddly evenly-matched season-opener between the defending Premier League and FA Cup champions in favour of Guardiola’s charges.

His introduction did not have the desired impact and it was rather Rodgers’s decision to throw Iheanacho into the mix that won it for the East Midlands side. The Nigerian dispossessed centre-back Nathan Ake of the ball on the edge of the box and moved inwards only for Ake to bring him down.

The panicking act earned the Foxes a penalty as referee Paul Tierney pointed to the spot immediately. Iheanacho dusted himself up and took the responsibility of taking the resulting spot-kick, which he delivered with composure into the top-right corner.

It was not long after when Tierney blew the final whistle and the last minute push by City to level the scores came to naught because Leicester held on to their lead through the extra five minutes after regulation time for a historic victory. Iheanacho had delivered again in the brief time he was in the game.

In the first competitive game at the ground of the Wembley Stadium at the heart of hooliganism and vandalism during the Euro 2020 final, Iheanacho and his compatriot, Wilfred Ndidi, who was the FotMob Player of the Match, rewrote Leicester’s history one more time.

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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.

Jude Obafemi, THEWILLhttps://thewillnews.com
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.

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