FOOTBALL: Iheanacho’s goal earns away win for Leicester against Fulham

By Our Sports Desk/Sky Sports

Two fine first-half goals from Kelechi Iheanacho and James Justin put Leicester third with a 2-0 victory at third-bottom Fulham, who are now without a win in 11 games.

Iheanacho powered home his first Premier League goal of the season by meeting James Maddison’s excellent cross 17 minutes in and beating Alphonse Areola from close-range.

Maddison then turned provider again as he recorded two assists in the same game for the first time, teeing up Justin to round Areola and slot in a second moments before half-time as Leicester’s clinical touch returned after their poor defeat by Leeds on Saturday.

Fulham always looked competitive but rarely tested Kasper Schmeichel besides a Tosin Adarabioyo header moments before Justin’s goal, and remain rooted seven points adrift from safety, having now lost their game in hand on the two sides directly above them.

Leicester outfox Fulham to return to winning ways

Leicester needed little time to show why they have found life so much easier on the road than at home, moving ahead with 17 minutes gone as Iheanacho powered home Maddison’s delicious cross following a quick free-kick.

Fulham’s shortcomings were just as plain to see as their tidy approach play was snuffed out before it could cause any real danger, and with one rare clear-cut chance, Aleksandar Mitrovic sidefooted Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s square ball straight at Justin with the goal at his mercy.

The hosts remained in the game and would have gone in level had Tosin beaten Schmeichel with a bullet header from a corner. But they were immediately caught out by a silky Leicester counter, with a lovely Iheanacho turn feeding Maddison to tee up Justin, who rounded Areola and doubled the lead moments before half-time.

Scott Parker boldly responded at the break with two changes which immediately galvanised Fulham, but not to the extent of threatening a comeback.

Indeed, while Leicester were twice denied a third when the offside flag penalised Iheanacho and then Ricardo Pereira, neither side registered a legitimate shot on target throughout the second period.

That allowed Leicester to see out victory in relative comfort, with Justin’s block on substitute Bobby Decordova-Reid’s goalbound effort, typical of his night’s work, their only moment of concern as the Foxes jumped back ahead of Brendan Rodgers’ former employers Liverpool, who have played a game less.