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| (Photo: Leicester Mercury) |
Leicester City's hopes of Premier League survival were boosted with a late winner from Andy King to overcome West Ham United 2-1 on Saturday.
King scored his 50th goal for the club after coming on as a 79th minute substitute and the vital winner kept the Foxes in touch with the other teams trying to avoid the drop.
Leicester have been chasing games for most of the season after conceding first-on but their bright start was rewarded with a fine strike from Esteban Cambiasso in the 13th minute at the King Power Stadium. Leicester's player of the match linked up with the strikers but saw the ball return to him after bouncing off West Ham defender James Collins and Cambiasso sweetly struck a 20 yard half-volley into the bottom corner.
The lead could have been doubled shortly afterwards after Ulloa was brought down in the box by Carl Jenkinson and referee Mike Clattenburg awarded Leicester's first penalty in almost seven months. David Nugent placed the ball to keeper Adrián's left but was at a height that was saved by the outstretched Adrián.
Leicester's season has been full of missed chances that have been punished by their opponents and the penalty miss affected the players, allowing West Ham back into the game.
West Ham enjoyed time on the ball, attacking Kasper Schmeichel's goal and Cheikhou Kouyate scored the equaliser in the 33rd minute. Alex Song took advantage of a narrow back line and was able to find Kouyate after Jeff Schlupp was caught out of position. Kouyate chested the ball down and struck it past the Danish international keeper who was unable to stay on his feet.
Leicester winger, Riyad Mahrez, hasn't been as potent since returning from the African Cup of Nations and was substituted for Marc Albrighton at half-time. The second half substitutes of Albrighton, Andrej Kramaric and King had a positive impact on the game with Leicester surging forward and out-playing a West Ham team placed ninth in the league.
Kramaric had earlier seen the ball cleared off the line but linked up with Albrighton into the box where Jamie Vardy was unable to hit the target but fortunately King did. The King Power Stadium erupted but elation was mixed with nervousness in the final four minutes of the game as West Ham searched for a second equaliser.
Vardy was unable to convert three chances at goal before King's strike and had a opportunity to put the game beyond West Ham in stoppage time but Adrián won the one-on-one.
Leicester held on for a much-needed fifth win of the season as relegation rivals QPR and Sunderland also won with Burnley getting a crucial point. Leicester manager, Nigel Pearson, told the Leicester Mercury that he was "delighted" with the win and that he "would rather lose a game trying to win it."
Pearson's shift to attacking play has seen Leicester score the same amount of goals in the last two games as they managed in the previous eight. Leicester will have to continue playing this attacking football, and the team that finished so well against West Ham should be rewarded with a start away at West Brom next weekend.
Leicester are now six points from safety and will need a substantial amount from the 24 points available from the remaining eight games. Leicester still have to play five of the seven teams directly above them and will be hoping that a winning run has just begun.
King scored his 50th goal for the club after coming on as a 79th minute substitute and the vital winner kept the Foxes in touch with the other teams trying to avoid the drop.
Leicester have been chasing games for most of the season after conceding first-on but their bright start was rewarded with a fine strike from Esteban Cambiasso in the 13th minute at the King Power Stadium. Leicester's player of the match linked up with the strikers but saw the ball return to him after bouncing off West Ham defender James Collins and Cambiasso sweetly struck a 20 yard half-volley into the bottom corner.
The lead could have been doubled shortly afterwards after Ulloa was brought down in the box by Carl Jenkinson and referee Mike Clattenburg awarded Leicester's first penalty in almost seven months. David Nugent placed the ball to keeper Adrián's left but was at a height that was saved by the outstretched Adrián.
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| Adrián stretches to his left to deny Nugent's penalty (Getty) |
West Ham enjoyed time on the ball, attacking Kasper Schmeichel's goal and Cheikhou Kouyate scored the equaliser in the 33rd minute. Alex Song took advantage of a narrow back line and was able to find Kouyate after Jeff Schlupp was caught out of position. Kouyate chested the ball down and struck it past the Danish international keeper who was unable to stay on his feet.
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| Schmeichel is unable to stop Kouyate from equalising (Getty) |
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| King scores Leicester's fifth goal in two games (Getty) |
Vardy was unable to convert three chances at goal before King's strike and had a opportunity to put the game beyond West Ham in stoppage time but Adrián won the one-on-one.
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| Schmeichel celebrates his first home game back from injury with a win (Leicester Mercury) |
Pearson's shift to attacking play has seen Leicester score the same amount of goals in the last two games as they managed in the previous eight. Leicester will have to continue playing this attacking football, and the team that finished so well against West Ham should be rewarded with a start away at West Brom next weekend.
Leicester are now six points from safety and will need a substantial amount from the 24 points available from the remaining eight games. Leicester still have to play five of the seven teams directly above them and will be hoping that a winning run has just begun.
