Match report as late Victor Osimhen double cancels out Ayoze Perez and Harvey Barnes strikes as Leicester let two-goal slip to Napoli in Europa League opener


Leicester City surrendered a two-goal lead in the final 20 minutes as Victor Osimhen's double earned Napoli a 2-2 draw in their thrilling Europa League opener.

The Foxes got off to the perfect start at the King Power Stadium when Ayoze Perez ended a 15-game goal drought inside nine minutes with an emphatic volley into the Napoli - his first-ever European goal.

Summer signing Patson Daka looked to have doubled Leicester's lead on the hour, only for his strike to be ruled out for offside, but, five minutes later, Harvey Barnes found the net at the end of a flowing counter to leave the Foxes on course to victory.

Napoli spurned a host of chances throughout the game but managed to reduce the arrears within five minutes as Osimhen lofted his first over Kasper Schmeichel. And, with three minutes remaining, he rescued a point with a superb towering header.

Leicester's collapse was compounded by the stoppage-time dismissal of Wilfred Ndidi - who misses the next game against Legia Warsaw - for a second bookable offence, adding insult to injury on a night victory slipped away from Brendan Rodgers's side.

Police and stewards had to control a disturbance between the home and travelling fans at full time with missiles thrown between supporters. Missiles were thrown from both sets of supporters as tensions flared at the end of the game.

Leicester and Napoli started the tournament as joint favourites to lift the trophy in Seville in May and went at each other as if to prove their credentials.

Napoli threatened first and Kasper Schmeichel spilled Osimhen's early drive from distance before David Ospina came to the visitors' rescue.

The former Arsenal goalkeeper flung himself at Barnes' feet to turn his close-range shot wide after Perez bullied his way through and Kelechi Iheanacho helped on his cross.

But Ospina could not thwart the Foxes for long and they grabbed the opener after just nine minutes. Barnes burst forward, swapped passes with Patson Daka and delivered a deep cross for Perez to volley in at the far post.

Ayoze Perez of Leicester City celebrates scoring the first goal during the UEFA Europa League match at the King Power Stadium
Image:
Ayoze Perez of Leicester City celebrates scoring the first goal during the UEFA Europa League match at the King Power Stadium
Napoli responded well and the lively Osimhen slashed wide before teeing up Malcuit to shoot over after 29 minutes. Osimhen continued to be a menace and, when he beat Jonny Evans to cross, only a combination of Timothy Castagne and Schmeichel kept out Zielinski.

Napoli, who had won all three Serie A games this season, had slowly taken control and skipper Lorenzo Insigne drilled wide as the Foxes struggled to regain a rhythm.

The Italians were in command but were becoming wasteful with Nigeria international Osimhen firing another opportunity over before Schmeichel ensured Leicester went into the break ahead.

The Foxes had lived dangerously and survived another warning when Malcuit's cross found Lozano drifting into space and his header was parried by Schmeichel.

Leicester, playing their first home European game with fans since their Champions League quarter final with Atletico Madrid in 2017, needed a remedy.

Leicester's Harvey Barnes celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League Group C match between Leicester City and Napoli at the King Power Stadium
Image:
Leicester's Harvey Barnes celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League Group C match between Leicester City and Napoli at the King Power Stadium
Boss Brendan Rodgers recognised it, replacing Perez and Jonny Evans with Youri Tielemans and Caglar Soyuncu at the break, but Leicester initially failed to stem the tide. Yet, the Foxes thought they had doubled their lead after 59 minutes.

Tielemans was involved, poking the ball through to Daka for the striker to drill in, only to be denied his first Leicester goal by a marginal VAR offside call. Five minutes later, though, the Foxes did find their second goal.

Iheanacho won the ball in midfield and his perfect pass found Barnes on the left for the winger to tease Malcuit and drill into the corner.

Napoli had paid the price for their profligacy but they pulled a goal back in style with 21 minutes left. A slick move on the edge of the box involving Insigne, Elif Elmas and Fabian Ruiz ended with Osimhen holding off Jannik Vestergaard and lifting the ball over Schmeichel from six yards.

Unsurprisingly, Napoli pressed for the leveller and Schmeichel turned Elmas' shot away but the Foxes could not hang on. Osimhen had been a constant threat and he netted again with three minutes left to level, heading in Matteo Politano's cross from eight yards.

Ndidi was then dismissed in stoppage time for collecting a second yellow card after he pulled back Adam Ounas.

Opta stats
This was the first time Leicester have had a 2+ goal lead in a home match (all competitions) but failed to win since September 2016 against Chelsea. They had won each of their previous 47 such matches before tonight.
Napoli have never won away against English opposition in all European competition (D3 L8), conceding at least once in all 11 such matches (23 conceded in total).

With his brace tonight, Victor Osimhen has been involved in nine goals in his last 10 appearances for Napoli in all competitions (7 goals, 2 assists).
No player has scored more goals for Leicester in major European competition than Harvey Barnes (4, level with Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez), with all four his strikes coming in the Europa League over the last two seasons.

Ayoze Pérez netted his first goal in 15 games for Leicester in all competitions, though this was the first time the Foxes failed to win a game in which he scored (W8 D1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZusTJw-_SF0
https://www.skysports.com/football/leicester-city-vs-napoli/report/457418

Since 2016, FTC warned.Osimhen really spoil their show.
I enjoyed the match seeing 3 Nigeria national team mates in action

Omo Ologo 7G Network.

Napoli trailed Leicester 2-0 after 64 minutes.

⚽️—Osimhen (69’)
⚽️—Osimhen (87’)

Chai... Strong barrier

Leicester even get luck self....if not, wetin napoli for use their eye see las las for shock them

D guy tried

This boy has what is known as "grace"...

Congratulations on a top notch performance

Ọmọ mí

Those two goals were fantastic. Boy truly deserves the 9 shirt.
I go like make this guy come EPL next season

Nice rebounds

Why the Long epistle?


Na full match analysis?

Osimhen really performed well

barbstee:
Why the Long epistle?


Na full match analysis?

Na copy and paste na...

nice game oshimhen....he is finally giving dividends for wat napoli splashed on him..
he needs to start scoring in big names like dis...no b only preseason e go dey claim topscorer..

IgiveLadiesBj:
Those two goals were fantastic. Boy truly deserves the 9 shirt.
I go like make this guy come EPL next season

abeg no start....the sky is too big for all....he can also av a successful career in italy, gain more experience before moving to EPL for more cash, dts if he must play in EPL..
making dt move to a big club isnt dt easy bcoz of d pressure n less time to adapt
jus like lukaka dt once flopped in chelasea n united....went to Italy n gained experience n came in as a bigger fish....life na wit time jhare

Osimhen was really brilliant yesterday

Xscape047:
Nice rebounds

still better than penalties n tapins...i no call names o bcoz I no ready for any aguement...

IgiveLadiesBj:
Those two goals were fantastic. Boy truly deserves the 9 shirt.
I go like make this guy come EPL next season

To come do wetin exactly? . So if victor na your brother,na this kind advice you for give am abi?

Sonnobax15:
To come do wetin exactly? . So if victor na your brother,na this kind advice you for give am abi?

I think EPL will give him more exposure bro.
Even if he de play for Everton

IgiveLadiesBj:

I think EPL will give him more exposure bro.
Even if he de play for Everton

Bro why you wicked like this? Men,like seriously,I no support that idea at all....Make victor just dey package him club football for outside EPL if he really want him career to last long.m

Next African footballer of the year

111sunshine:
This boy has what is known as "grace"...

Congratulations on a top notch performance

dont be a heavenly-blessing entitled Nigerian and mistake grace for hardwork, putting in the work and waiting for your time. what is grace here?

Napoli deserves a point.

They really tried.

Kindly visit my signature for your business ideas and updates

paulolee:

still better than penalties n tapins...i no call names o

they are all goals..make others do the tap ins now as you suggest say e dey easy...yeyeness

I think Osimhen is the next big thing for the super eagles if he can keep in form.

Congratulations to the representative of each team. They all did well

Osimhen; Super Eagles best player currently.

PBeni:
I think Osimhen is the next big thing for the super eagles if he can keep in form.

next big thing since how many years? mscheeww

Wow, I actually stopped watching after Leicester made it two nil.. ⚽⚽

He deserves a better team.... Napoli is wasting his talent

Beaniebarbie:
Wow, I actually stopped watching after Leicester made it two nail.. ⚽⚽

No wonder, you stopped watching

redcliff:


dont be a heavenly-blessing entitled Nigerian and mistake grace for hardwork, putting in the work and waiting for your time. what is grace here?

Oga, if that is what you deduced from what I said, I can't help you understand.... Since according to you, he must be more hardworking than all other Nigerian footballers on the street, that's why he is what he is today.
Thanks