Leicester City were held to a goalless draw at home by PSV in the first-leg Europa Conference League quarter-final match at the KingPower Stadium on Thursday night.
The Foxes dominated the stats sheet but fell short with making the performance count where it mattered as PSV held on frustrating Brendan Rodgers’ game strategy.
Rodgers handed Kelechi Iheanacho a starter’s shirt and the role of lead attack as he did at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
The Manager made two changes from the Manchester United game and the shape of the team opting for a more attacking 4-3-3.
The second European quarter-final home tie in our history 🏟️
Thanks for your support, Blue Army 👏 pic.twitter.com/QuAessvCXn
— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 7, 2022
In the first half it looked like the game plan would work, Leicester played on the front foot and managed to force two saves from the PSV goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo, but the visitors did not break.
And as the game wore on into the second half, PSV mastered the strategy and though they failed to register a single shot after the interval, Roger Schmidt’s side were content with shutting out their host.
Leicester’s technical team attempted a switch mid game, Iheanacho replaced by Ademola Lookman while Zambia’s Patson Daka came on for Marc Albrighton.
But even those substitutions did little to alter the course of the game and even outcome.
The second leg of the encounter comes up in a fortnight at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven.
Meanwhile, in Portugal Sporting Braga secured a 1-0 lead against Rangers in the Europa League first-leg quarter final clash at the Estádio Municipal de Braga.
Braga’s hitman Abel Ruiz punished an error by CB Leon Balogun late in the first half to put his side ahead.
A miscued clearance by Balogun set Ruiz on his way to the game’s only goal as he curled a sumptuous effort beyond the reach of Allan McGregor.
The Nigerian CB was would eventually make way as Rangers Boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst made three changes in the second half. He brought on Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe and Joe Aribo all after the hour mark.
However the hosts held on for the win and a slim advantage heading to the second leg on April 14 at the Ibrox Stadium.
