- Jamie Vardy opened the scoring in the 21st minute before Stephy Mavididi’s goal.
- Jean-Philippe Mateta reduced the deficit before converting a penalty in added time.
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It’s been two weeks of points saved and points wasted for Leicester.
A victory in the courts almost gave way to a victory on the pitch. But while the Foxes’ lawyers showed cunning and skill in winning their case against the Premier League and avoiding an expected points deduction for financial irregularities by exploiting a legal loophole, their players were unable to demonstrate the same level of cunning at Selhurst Park.
They also tried hard. Leicester were the better side in the first half. Wilfred Ndidi was by far the best player on the pitch. Jamie Vardy turned back the clock. They went 2-0 up (with Vardy and Stephy Mavididi) and it wasn’t undeserved.
But Crystal Palace and Jean-Philippe Mateta hit back just 86 seconds after Leicester’s second goal and suddenly the pressure was on. Could Leicester’s defenders withstand it?
In the end, the answer was no. In added time, Conor Coady conceded a penalty and Leicester equalised through Mateta.
It’s been two weeks of points saved and points thrown away for newly promoted Leicester.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty in added time denied the Foxes their first win of the season
Vardy made no mistake in the 21st minute and put Leicester ahead from a long pass.
In isolated terms it was a nice point (Leicester’s first away from home this season) but to have led for over 70 minutes and come away without all three must have been galling.
Their second big win since the start of the international break would have been huge for Leicester. It would have put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone at this early stage of the season and kept the good humour up among the visiting fans who were chanting “We are Leicester City, we’ll spend what we want” here. Instead, those supporters will be licking their wounds on their return trip to the Midlands.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner handed newcomers Eddie Nketiah and Maxence Lacroix their debuts. Nketiah, playing on the right, looked lively early on but it was a former Palace player who should have opened the scoring.
Ndidi won the ball in the Palace box and played the ball to Jordan Ayew. Ayew, who had returned to Selhurst Park just weeks after leaving, should have been able to slot home from close range but volleyed it into the ground and over the area.
However, Vardy made no mistake in the 21st minute. Again Ndidi stepped up, won the ball on the halfway line and gave the 37-year-old a chance. Between them, Marc Guehi and Dean Henderson probably should have controlled the pass, but both hesitated, Vardy did not, and he managed to get around Henderson and side-footed the ball into the empty net.
Vardy refrained from imitating an eagle, as he has done after scoring at Selhurst Park in previous years, but his predatory instincts are still intact. It was an advantage Leicester deserved.
They almost doubled their lead before the break. Guehi missed a simple clearance and Vardy pounced on the ball to find Stephy Mavididi on the left. Mavididi shot wide. It was a good chance.
Just 19 seconds into the second half, Leicester already had a two-point lead thanks to Stephy Mavididi.
Palace are a great team at their best under Glasner, but have struggled for fluidity and control here.
The home fans had hoped for something better after the break and were disappointed. Just 19 seconds into the second half, Leicester went two goals up after a failed clearance from Nathaniel Clyne, another save from Ndidi and a powerful shot from Mavididi.
However, that seemed to wake Palace up and they did reduce the deficit moments later when Jean-Philippe Mateta headed home a cross from Tyrick Mitchell. The linesman raised the flag for offside but a lengthy VAR delay eventually favoured Palace and the match was on.
Mateta reduced the deficit two minutes later with a close-range shot.
Nketiah headed wide from a tight angle in the 68th minute as Palace looked to equalise. Glasner brought on forwards Daichi Kamada and Ismaila Sarr for defenders Clyne and Daniel Munoz and the pressure on Leicester increased.
The goal finally came in added time when Coady brought down Sarr inside the box. Tony Harrington pointed to the spot and Coady had no complaints. Mateta sent Mads Hermansen the wrong way, and it was also a missed opportunity for Leicester.