A goal in extra time for Abdul Fatawu gave Leicester City an impressive victory over Premier League outfit Bournemouth, to send them into the quarter finals.
The decisive goal, scored with just seconds of the first half of extra time left, was a mark of quality in a game that was becoming sloppy. Fatawu picked up the ball just outside the area from Kelechi Iheanacho, and connected in a perfect way to curve it into the top corner of the home net.
The hosts made six changes to the team that had lost 1-0 at home to Manchester City but Leicester, the 2021 winners, made nine changes to the team that had lost 3-1 at Leeds.
You might have expected such a much-altered team to struggle to find any early rhythm, but in fact the visitors were quicker out of the blocks and forced Bournemouth back into their own penalty area.
But they were unable to get a shot on target and the home side almost scored with their first attack, Jannik Vestergaard forced to make a brave block as Enes Unal, the Turkey striker on loan from Getafe, launched himself into an overhead kick inside the six-yard area. Unal then tried his luck with a free-kick 25 yards out only to shoot well over the crossbar..
Jakub Stolarczyk, the Leicester goalkeeper, had to rush out to kick clear from Unal after Philip Billing’s tackle in midfield turned into an almost-perfect through pass. But he needed defender Hamza Choudury to clear in the 22nd minute after Unal had collected Luis Sinisterra’s low cross from the right and drilled a shot towards the bottom far corner.
When Sinisterra repeated his run and cross, Alex Scott’s shot went high into the crowd. And Conor Coady came to Leicester’s rescue after Stolarcyk had put Choudury under pressure with a slack pass.
Leicester, though, had two chances to take the lead in the 42nd minute. First Albrighton advanced unchallenged before striking the ball across Mark Travers and against the foot of the far post. Then Wanya Marcal fired the ball back in, demanding a leaping save from Travers.
But Dango Ouatarra almost had the final word of the first half, his glancing header kept out by Stolarczyk’s two-handed parry.
Both teams were giving the ball away with great regularity, so although play switched quickly from end to end, it was not of very high quality.
Bournemouth came close soon after the restart when Marcos Senesi’s inswinging cross from the right rebounded from the far post with Stolarczyk nowhere. But the goalkeeper was much more alert in the 74th minute, saving well at his near post from Milos Kerkes’ angled shot.
Yunus Akgun should have won it for Leicester three minutes from time, but shot over the bar with only Travers to beat.
Despite heightened pressure from Bournemouth, the Championship side held on to secure their passage into the quarter finals.