Maddison fires Foxes to victory over Spurs
Posted Saturday, September 21, 2019 by PA
James Maddison’s late winner earned Leicester a pulsating 2-1 home victory over Tottenham – as VAR took centre stage again.
The technology ruled out Serge Aurier’s goal which would have put Spurs 2-0 ahead just minutes before Ricardo Pereira’s leveller.
Son Heung-min was adjudged to be fractionally offside in the build-up. It was the second goal chalked off after Wilfred Ndidi’s first-half effort was disallowed for offside.
Maddison then fired in a late winner in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate.
It wiped out Harry Kane’s brilliant improvised finish which put Mauricio Pochettino’s side ahead in the first half.
Spurs are still looking for their first Premier League away win since January and missed the chance to close the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Leicester continued their impressive form to move into second before the later matches.
Maddison gave a sign of things to come after 15 minutes when he forced Paulo Gazzaniga – starting with Hugo Lloris missing after his wife gave birth – into his first save.
The midfielder danced past Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld only for his low near-post effort to be turned behind.
It was the first scare for Spurs and they survived another thanks to VAR after 17 minutes.
Gazzaniga spilled Youri Tielemans’ drive and, after Ayoze Perez mis-kicked, Ndidi bundled in from close range – only for VAR to rule the goal out with the pair offside.
The decision was correct but it ramped up the atmosphere of an intense game which continued to entertain after Kane’s invention on 29 minutes.
The England skipper latched onto Son’s back-heel but was clipped by Caglar Soyuncu and stumbled into the area.
He hit the deck but somehow managed to hook his foot and steer the ball past Kasper Schmeichel from six yards.
It was his 13th goal in 14 games against Leicester and was no fluke, the striker knew exactly what he was doing in an example of brilliant quick thinking.
Perez forced Gazzaniga into a smart near-post save seven minutes before half-time as Leicester tried to hit back.
They continued to press after the break and Gazzaniga turned Jamie Vardy’s angled effort away as the striker threatened to escape Vertonghen.
But Son blew a great chance to double Spurs’ lead after 58 minutes.
Erik Lamela and Harry Winks hit Leicester on the break and found Son but, with Schmeichel to beat, he dragged across goal from an angle.
The tempo was unrelenting and Tottenham were left fuming when Aurier’s goal was disallowed by the smallest of margins after 64 minutes.
The right-back’s superb drilled finish from Kane’s pass looked to have put the visitors 2-0 up but VAR ruled – after two minutes of deliberation – Son was millimetres offside in the build-up.
It was another controversial decision but Leicester made the most of the reprieve by levelling five minutes later.
Vardy was slipped in on the left and his deflected cross ran for Pereira to fire in from close range.
Leicester had the momentum and after Kane tested Schmeichel, the Foxes won it with five minutes remaining.
Hamza Choudhury laid the ball off to Maddison to drive forward and bury a low strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
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