Final Score – Leicester City 3-1 Manchester United
Kelechi Iheanacho’s two goals proved the difference as a professional Leicester overcame Manchester United and booked a place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
The Nigerian forward continued his great scoring form with his eighth and ninth goals in as many games, opening the scoring when he pounced on a dreadful Fred pass towards Dean Henderson in the 24th minute, to round the keeper and score.
He then arrived unmarked at the back post in the 78th minute to head in a Marc Albrighton free-kick, heading off an attempted United come back with Leicester’s third.
Leicester’s only victory in the past 25 meetings between the sides was the famous 5-3 in 2014, and the visitors were unbeaten away domestically since January last year, but with the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford missing the door was perhaps open.
The home side looked much sharper in the first half, pressuring United in midfield and looking to spring Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho.
The pressure paid in the 24th minute when Iheanacho underlined his status as an FA specialist to take advantage of United’s disastrous attempt to play out from the back.
Despite looking uncomfortable for the majority of the half, United equalised with their first meaningful attempt in the 38th minute.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe lesser-spotted Donny van de Beek cleverly dummied a half-blocked ball in from Paul Pogba, which allowed Mason Greenwood to sweep his side level from around the penalty spot.
Leicester continued to catch United in possession and the visitors were lucky to reach half-time level.
Ayoze Perez nearly took advantage just before the half but curled narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
The pattern of play stayed the same after the restart, culminating seven minutes in with Youri Tielemans playing a quick one-two round Nemanja Matic in midfield before advancing unchallenged to smash a low shot into the far corner from 18 yards.
Embed from Getty ImagesJamie Vardy, on a seven-game scoring drought, somehow failed to put Leicester further ahead soon after.
Having gone past Maguire with ease he looked odds on to score but snatched his shot wide of the near post with only Henderson to beat.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had to act and did so just after the hour with a quadruple substitution replacing Pogba, van de Beek, Matic and Alex Telles with Fernandes, Edinson Cavani, Luke Shaw and Scott McTominay.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe changes did finally force Leicester onto a defensive foot, but it was the hosts who made the game safe a quarter-hour later when Henderson could only claw Iheanacho’s header in off the bar.
Fernandes had a late free-kick tipped over by Kasper Schmeichel but were unable to find an answer.
Leicester will face Southampton in their first semi-final since 1982 at Wembley next month.
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