Leicester City vs Tottenham Hotspur: Jamie Vardy’s Late Equalizer Secures 1-1 Draw in Premier League Opener
Leicester City vs Tottenham Hotspur Review: Jamie Vardy’s pivotal second-half equalizer helped Leicester City secure a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in an exciting opening-day match.
The veteran striker’s opportunistic goal meant Leicester grabbed an important point on their return to the Premier League, despite Tottenham’s early domination.
Having missed every minute of the Foxes preseason, Vardy had also been anticipated to miss their Premier League opening. However, he gave manager Cooper a guarantee that he could play when the team was left without a senior striker due to Patson Daka’s injury.
Cooper said, “We didn’t have a striker,” to Sky Sports prior to kickoff. “He stated that he was a little uneasy that we didn’t have a fit striker, but he is in good health and offered to help. “You have to trust his judgement.”
That decision was validated at the King Power, as the 37-year-old rose to head home an equalizer from a superb Abdul Fatawu cross, the hosts’ first meaningful chance of note, 12 minutes after the break.
Up until that moment, Tottenham had dominated the game, controlling almost 70% of the possession in the first half, giving up just one shot, and winning the match thanks to a brilliant goal by Pedro Porro off of an equally inviting cross from James Maddison.
However, they were punished by Vardy and would have been again had Guglielmo Vicario not denied him a second with a clumsy stop. They were also without a second goal cushion, with £65 million summer signing Dominic Solanke particularly guilty of spurning several chances.
Spurs’ evening took a turn for the worst when they had to watch the last few minutes of an unwelcome stalemate, wondering how their first-half dominance had vanished after Rodrigo Bentancur was stretchered off after an eight-minute stoppage.
Carra: Criminal that Spurs didn’t win
Jamie Carragher called Spurs’ surrender, which came after they had been in such control until halftime, “criminal” as they lost their season opener for the second consecutive year.
He added, “They were so in control of that game,” during Monday Night Football. “Ange Postecoglou has brought Tottenham back to their traditional identity, and much of it is positive—attacking football that is visually stunning.
However, there’s always a chance that they could disappoint you and give up a goal. Given the competition, a promoted team, and their level of dominance in the game, it is truly immoral to lose a game with three points.”
Is Vardy Leicester’s greatest-ever player?
Carragher and Gary Neville both emphasized Vardy’s performance and durability after he scored his equalizing goal on the first weekend of a Premier League season for the ninth time.
With 19 more goals than even Premier League high scorer Alan Shearer, Vardy is well ahead of him as the division’s all-time greatest scorer among players in their 30s.
“I loved him when he first came into the Premier League; he was a throwback,” Neville remarked of the player with a non-League mentality.
“However, I had assumed that he would be a player who only used his speed to counterattack and run off the shoulder. And like many others, he would find it hard to adjust his game when he lost his pace or a yard.
However, at 37, he’s still going. He still has that explosiveness and that yard. He appears to be in perfect shape and hasn’t gained any weight.
“Usually, the bones start to creak a little bit, making exercise much harder—getting outside and maintaining weight loss. Bravo to both him and Steve Cooper for taking a gamble on the role.”
“I would imagine he’s Leicester’s greatest-ever player,” Carragher continued. Considering everything he’s accomplished and his background, he must be really near. He is a unique football player.
