Clash of the day | Leicester go top

Group C of the UEFA Europa League has been fascinating and is heading into the final round of matches with the possibility of all four teams still capable of progressing.  

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Spartak Moscow defeated Napoli by two goals to one on Wednesday afternoon to put both sides level on seven points. Leicester went into this home game with Legia on five and the Polish side on three.

THE MATCH

Leicester have endured a difficult run of form across all of their competitions in recent weeks so a result and performance was much-needed for continued confidence in Brendan Rodgers, let alone their chances of progression in the UEL – and they started quickly.

Harvey Barnes and Patson Daka were supplemented by the impressive James Maddison as The Foxes looked to get at Legia early and it was those two players that combined for the opening goal after ten minutes with Barnes bundling his way through a few challenges and then a ricochet allowed Daka to latch onto a loose ball through on goal to finish.

The Foxes continued their fast start less than ten minutes later with James Maddison adding a second with a finish into the top corner. 

Legia had barely been able to settle but when they did get the ball and become a little more composed, they looked extremely threatening and a handball in the Leicester penalty area gave Legia a penalty and the chance to get back into the match. 

Azeri forward Mahir Emreli had his penalty saved by Kasper Schmeichel but the ball squeezed out and Filip Mladenovic followed in to pull one back.

The game continued its incredibly frantic and entertaining pace with Wilfred Ndidi nodding in from a set-piece just a few moments after Legia got a goal back.

Legia continued to threaten for the rest of the first-half but as much as they attempted to break down the Leicester defence – which was not necessarily stubborn to begin with.

The second-half was not quite as exciting.

Legia poured forward in the first 15 minutes of the half but failed to get a goal back and then off-the-field issues took hold. 
As the torrential rain fell, crowd trouble rumbled on with Leicester pushing on for a fourth but meeting stiff resistance from their Polish counterparts.

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In the end, the game fizzled out to a crucial Leicester victory.