Kelechi Iheanacho scored coming off the bench for Leicester City in the Premier League clash against Chelsea, Tuesday, at Stamford, but despite a 76th minute goal to give the Foxes a boost, they came up short.
Chelsea held on for a 2-1 win that also saw them climb above Brendan Rodgers’ side to third on the PL table, two points more with one round of game until the end of the season.
Iheanacho was dropped to the bench after he started and was subbed off in the FA Cup win over the same opponents last Sunday.
The Nigerian had scored more league goals since March than any other player and showed verve coming in on the hour mark for James Maddison.
š Most PL goals since start of March:
1ļøā£1ļøā£ KELECHI IHEANACHO (11 apps)
8ļøā£ Harry Kane (10)
8ļøā£ Chris Wood (10)
6ļøā£ Gareth Bale (9)
6ļøā£ Mason Greenwood (11)
6ļøā£ Jesse Lingard (9)ā Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) May 18, 2021
After a goalless but lively first 45 minutes, the hosts broke the deadlock through CB Antonio Rudiger (47′).
He bundled in the ball from a corner kick after Wilfred Ndidi miss timed the ball.
In the 66th minute a controversial penalty gifted Chelsea the chance to double their lead and midfielder Jorginho made sure of it.
Iheanacho would find the back of the net with his second attempt on goal, halving the deficit, from a Wilfred Ndidi assist.
7 – Kelechi Iheanacho is the first player in Premier League history to score a goal on all seven days of the week within a single season in the competition. Heaven.
ā OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 18, 2021
It was the Forward’s 12th league goal in 24 appearance this season, but it would end in a defeat – only the third Leicester have suffered any time he scores.
A bigger implication for the Foxes is that they slip to 4th in the table and could miss out on a Champions League spot.
Next for the Foxes is a home game at the King Power Stadium against Tottenham who themselves are chasing a European spot.
