Iheanacho double books Leicester's ticket to the Emirates FA Cup semi-finals

Sunday 21 Mar 2021

A Kelechi Iheanacho brace helped to send Leicester City into the Emirates FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1982, as they saw off Manchester United 2-1 at the King Power Stadium. 

The Nigerian striker opened the scoring for the hosts midway through the first half, as he netted his sixth goal in his last four matches with the simplest of finishes. 

Mason Greenwood made it one apiece just before the break, as he rifled in an effort from the edge of the area, before Youri Tielemans got Leicester’s second after the break. 

Iheanacho then rounded off the scoring late on, as he met Marc Albrighton’s delivery at the far post to thunder in to set up a semi-final clash with Southampton at Wembley in April.

Iheanacho’s hot streak in front of goal in the quarter-final affair, as the Nigerian international striker snuck in to beat Dean Henderson to a back pass from Fred, before rounding the goalkeeper to give the Foxes the advantage. 

But the Red Devils weren’t behind for long, as Greenwood fired home 15 minutes later to level matters, as the teenager pounced on Paul Pogba’s centre, with Donny van der Beek’s dummy fooling the hosts’ defence to give his teammate the space to unleash the strike. 

Chances were coming at either end as the half drew to a close, with Ayoze Perez going closest for the hosts, but his curling effort sailed wide of Henderson’s far post to leave the scores level at the break. 

But that wasn’t the case for long after the interval, as Tielemans picked up the ball and drove towards the United goal almost unchallenged before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the bottom corner to restore the hosts’ advantage. 

And it could so easily have been three for Leicester on the hour mark, as Jamie Vardy was played through on goal, but the ever-reliable striker dragged his effort wide of the post. 

But Scott McTominay’s looping header was as close as the Red Devils came to an equaliser, with Harry Maguire’s long range effort drifting wide of the post later in the game. 

And it was all over 12 minutes from time, as Iheanacho grabbed his second of the game after being left unmarked at the back stick, with Henderson unable to keep the striker’s header out, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side exited the competition at the quarter-final stage for the third time in the last five years. 

 

By FA Staff