Leicester City relied on Wes Morgan’s late goal to avoid an FA Cup humbling against second-tier side Derby on Friday, with the Premier League champions salvaging a 2-2 draw in the fourth round.
Morgan’s 86th-minute header ensured Leicester will have a replay next month, adding to the fixture burden for Claudio Ranieri’s struggling side.
Leicester are five points above the Premier League relegation zone, but are preparing to resume their Champions League campaign against Sevilla.
Photo: Reuters
As the fourth-round weekend opened in the FA Cup, Leicester were gifted the perfect start at Pride Park when Darren Bent scored an own-goal after eight minutes.
Bent sliced his attempted goal-line clearance into the net after Robert Huth’s header struck Chris Baird and bounced toward the net.
“I don’t know what happened,” Bent said. “I lost concentration and tried to hit the ball as hard as I could and it flew into the net.”
Bent redeemed himself in the 21st minute by glancing home a header from Will Hughes’ clipped cross before Derby took the lead five minutes before halftime.
Craig Bryson won the ball 30 meters from goal before breaking into the penalty area past Morgan and sending a left-footed shot beyond goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and into the far corner of the net.
Ranieri made an attacking change at halftime with Demarai Gray coming on for Christian Fuchs and the winger set up Morgan’s equalizer.
“It was a tough match,” Ranieri told the BBC. “We started well and scored, but slowly we lost our calm. They played well and scored twice. In the second half we again started well and created two of three chances. It was tough to score, but thankfully Morgan got one for us.”
“We have to concentrate,” he said. “Too many times we concede. We can only work and be more focused.”
Meanwhile, the Football Association has banned Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger from the touchline for four matches after an altercation with a match official.
Wenger escaped a stadium ban for shoving fourth official Anthony Taylor in the tunnel area at Emirates Stadium on Sunday last week during Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Burnley in the Premier League.
The FA said Wenger “used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official” when he was sent off by the referee.
It said that “following his dismissal from the technical area, his behavior in remaining in the tunnel area and making physical contact with the fourth official amounted to improper conduct.”
Wenger was also fined £25,000 (US$31,300) after admitting to the charge.
The touchline ban started yesterday, with Arsenal playing Southampton in the FA Cup after press time last night.
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