In this tantalising Carabao Cup semi-final 1st leg, unfancied Aston Villa managed to pull off an upset by holding high-flying Leicester City to a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium. It was an enthralling cup-tie full of cut-and-thrust; dogged intensity and chances at both ends.
Aston Villa's Achilles' Heel this season has undoubtedly been their error-prone defending; but it was not to be found in this game; as they wore off repeated Leicester pressure with some solid defending; notably Tyrone Mings at the heart of it all.
Against the run of play; they took the lead after some nice work on the left side from Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi; who floated over an inviting cross for right-back Frederic Guilbert to prod home just ahead of Ben Chilwell. Admittedly, there were some slight lapses from Caglar Soyuncu; who failed to cut out the cross; and Chilwell who lost awareness of Guilbert ghosting in behind.
Brendan Rodgers' Leicester have been so impressive this season; and they came roaring back to try to find the equaliser; however, they were thwarted by the impressive Villa reserve 'keeper Orjan Nyland; making only his thrid start of the season. Rodgers then produced two inspired substitutions; the first at half-time was Hamza Choudhury for Dennis Praet; then midway through the second half; Kelechi Iheanacho for Ayoze Perez. And it was those two who combined for Leicester's equaliser; Choudhury nicking the ball off Douglas Luiz in the Villa half; allowing Vardy to find Iheanacho for his patented left-foot side-thumper.
It was indeed painful for Villa; who had defended so manfully up to that point; only to be thwarted from a mistake by their own man resulting fom their own free-kick in their own half. The match was now poised on a knife-edge; but try as they might; Leicester couldn't summon up the resources to get the edge in this two-legged semi-final cup-tie. When the dust had settled; it was Villa who headed back to Villa Park with the advantage.
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