Leicester booked their place within the FA Cup quarter-finals as a surprising extra-time strike from substitute Abdul Fatawu earned them a 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday night time.
It’s the fourth time within the final seven seasons the Foxes – who lifted the trophy in 2020/21 – have progressed to the final eight of the competitors.
For lengthy intervals, it appeared as if Bournemouth can be the staff to strike first, however regardless of mustering a whopping 27 pictures, simply 4 of these have been on track, with many different seemingly easy alternatives squandered.
When it appeared as if the sport can be heading in direction of a penalty shootout after a largely uneventful first interval of extra-time, 19-year-old Fatawu popped up with a second of sheer brilliance that despatched the Championship leaders by means of.
Enzo Maresca’s males will discover out their opponents for the following spherical when the draw is made on Wednesday night.
From a Cherries perspective, it was a recreation crying out for prime scorer Dominic Solanke, who was omitted of the squad altogether, an omission addressed by supervisor Andoni Iraola in his post-match press convention.
“He wasn’t feeling well and he has some issues in the knee. He wasn’t ready to be involved today,” mentioned the Spaniard.
“He has had an MRI today [Tuesday], so we have to see what he has, assess him, see how he wakes up tomorrow and then we will see. I hope it’s not something big and he can help us in the next games.”
He confirmed on-loan ahead Enes Unal has been taken to hospital with “something in the clavicle”. The Turkey worldwide solely managed to play the primary half of his full debut since a mortgage transfer from Getafe in January.
“To lose two No 9s in one day is always a bad thing,” Iraola added.
How Leicester punished Bournemouth’s profligacy
For probably the most half, the primary half of the groups’ first-ever FA Cup assembly was entertaining – maybe if just for the impartial.
Bournemouth generated 1.51 xG by the break, but couldn’t discover a method by means of. Most notably, Luis Sinisterra picked out Alex Scott after an enterprising run on the right-hand facet, however the former England U20 worldwide nonchalantly lifted the ball over the bar together with his first contact.
Championship leaders Leicester got here near breaking the impasse, too; Marc Albrighton rattled the bottom of the publish with a low shot that had Mark Travers overwhelmed, whereas seconds later, the goalkeeper produced a save for the cameras to disclaim Wanya Marcal.
Leicester have been second greatest after the break, however with Dominic Solanke rested and never within the squad, Bournemouth lacked a ahead able to changing the quite a few possibilities they created. Marcos Senesi hit the publish with a curling effort early on, however there was frustration that that was, in actuality, nearly as good because it received.
A powerful Leicester end might have been capitalised on by Yunus Akgun after which substitute Ricardo Pereira, with each passing up first rate possibilities from shut vary earlier than extra-time started.
The primary quarter-hour handed with out incident – however then there was a second of magic.
Kelechi Iheanacho held the ball up within the penalty space and laid it off to Fatawu, who moved the ball out left with one contact after which curled in a shot that could not have been additional within the prime left-hand nook if he’d tried. From there, there was no method again for Bournemouth.
Iraola: Bournemouth should not scoring sufficient targets
Bournemouth supervisor Andoni Iraola:
“It’s a bad day because we had hopes in this competition, but it’s true that if you play 120 minutes at home and you have the chances to attack we had today and you don’t score a goal, at the end, you deserve to get out of the competition.
“We have been actually unhealthy within the final third, actually unhealthy. We recovered the ball very excessive quite a lot of occasions and even within the final passes, we did not resolve nicely. They scored from a very troublesome place – a prime objective – and that is the primary purpose they received.
“It’s something that is happening to us, especially over the last month, I would say. Even in the games we played really well in – Newcastle, Man City, Fulham – we are not scoring enough. That’s what makes the difference.”
Maresca: Championship and FA Cup equally vital for Leicester
Leicester head coach Enzo Maresca:
“We are happy because tonight we missed many chances, but at the end we have been lucky because we could score one goal.
“We strive at all times to share minutes in this sort of recreation as a result of the entire gamers deserve the possibility.
“Tonight was a mix between many young players and some senior players and in the end, we played a good game.
“The FA Cup is a incredible competitors so when you’ve gotten the possibility to go ahead it is a good one.
“The league is important, the FA Cup is important, but the most important thing for me is the way we perform. Tonight, once again, the performance was good.”
What’s subsequent?
Bournemouth journey to Burnley within the first recreation of Tremendous Sunday stay on Sky Sports activities Premier League on Sunday from 1pm, kick-off 2pm.
Championship leaders Leicester host QPR on Saturday as they give the impression of being to bounce again from final Friday’s defeat to second-placed Leeds, kick-off 3pm.