Jamie Vardy, remember him? Tottenham Hotspur would rather forget him, but last night, at 37 years old, he upset them again.
There was no party at home this time. There were no celebrations like the ones that took place that night in 2016 when Chelsea ended Tottenham’s title race and handed the title to Claudio Ranieri’s side, which was priced at 5,000/1.
This time, it was just his ninth Premier League goal against Spurs on this occasion to turn what looked like a comfortable away win into a fierce contest and, ultimately, an unlikely point for Leicester.
Vardy appeared unmarked at the far post to head in Abdul Fatawu’s cross and almost scored the second to give his side the lead with 20 minutes remaining.
On that occasion, Guglielmo Vicario made a great effort to save the match, before the final minutes of the match were interrupted by a long interruption for treatment of Rodrigo Bentancur.
A headed goal from talismanic striker Jamie Vardy secured a 1-1 draw and a point for the Foxes.
Tottenham full-back Pedro Porro had opened the scoring with a header from just outside the box in the first half (29′)
Vardy barely started the match due to doubts about his fitness, but he made himself available to play
The Uruguayan midfielder, who ruptured knee ligaments in his previous appearance at the King Power Stadium, suffered a head injury but was clearly conscious again before being carried off the field.
It had been all Tottenham for almost an hour before Vardy scored.
Ange Postecoglou’s side took a first-half lead through Pedro Porro and James Maddison looked to be enjoying himself, assuaging the disappointment of his pre-Euros rejection by England on familiar ground against his former club.
The Londoners really should have scored more while they were on top, but once they equalised the home crowd roared and their players responded.
Wilfred Ndidi forced Vicario into another fine save with a header in added time and substitute Richarlison headed in the final chance of the game from a free-kick.
Leicester returned to the Premier League at the first attempt as Championship champions, although the mood before this game had been fraught with unease, with a new manager constrained by spending restrictions and a squad beset by injuries.
A Craig Shakespeare memorial night added a poignant, subdued touch to the build-up before the evening was electrified by applause in tribute to the King Power legend, who died earlier this month aged 60.
Shakespeare was Claudio Ranieri’s assistant during that unforgettable title-winning 2015/16 season and succeeded the Italian as Leicester reached the Champions League quarter-finals.
Vardy, the last player in the dressing room from those glorious days, was also declared fit to start in attack in Steve Cooper’s first game in charge, which coincidentally was against the north London club that ended his reign as Nottingham Forest manager at the City Ground in December.
Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevksi, Spurs’ goalscorers in the 2-0 win that day, were on the bench as Postecoglou started with new record signing Solanke in attack, flanked by Heung-min Son and Brennan Johnson.
Leicester fans have paid tribute to former manager Craig Shakespeare, who recently passed away aged 60
Vardy, 37, scored his ninth goal against Tottenham and almost got his second in the 70th minute.
Archie Gray (left), a £40m summer signing, made his Spurs first-team debut in the second half.
Spurs’ record signing Dominic Solanke (right) showed promise but failed to score on debut
The visitors started with pace and determination, dominating midfield, launching quick passes forward, pressing up the pitch and forcing Leicester back as they created and failed to convert early chances from a series of corners.
Ndidi was on hand to clear a near-post header from Rodrigo Bentancur and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen saved a sweet Brennan Johnson volley before Cristian Romero and Solanke headed wide from Porro crosses.
Maddison, who had a mixed reception on his first return, came alive and became more influential as the first half unfolded, looking to penetrate the massed ranks of blue shirts in the Leicester penalty area with disguised passes.
The home crowd were delighted when one attempt ended in undignified fashion, with the England international lying on his backside near a corner flag, but he got back to his feet and conjured up the opener for Porro, who surged forward from the right and headed beyond Hermansen in the 29th minute.
The first half was one of absolute dominance. Played almost entirely on one half of the pitch, the spontaneous applause that greeted the half-time whistle attested to the relief felt at having made it through the break without any further damage.
Leicester’s only attempt on goal was a speculative move by debutant Bobby de Cordova-Reid, after Vicario ventured from his area to head clear. The ball ended up closer to the corner flag than the empty net.
Foxes manager Steve Cooper will be pleased with his side’s revival of form in the second half.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou will regret his side’s failure to capitalise on their opening goal
Spurs central midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been substituted after suffering a head injury.
Cooper resisted the temptation to make a substitution at the interval and although the game continued in the same pattern with Hermansen having to make saves from Solanke and Bentancur, his side began to threaten on the counter-attack.
Pape Matar Sarr chased down a goal led by De Cordova-Reid, but Leicester took heart and equalised when Victor Kristiansen’s left-wing cross was collected by Fatawu and sent deep to Vardy, who found the net with a header from close range.
Pandemonium breaks out and a chaotic ending.
