Braga 3-3 Leicester City: Vardy seals Europa League progression in frantic fashion
Jamie Vardy’s 95th-minute equaliser against Braga proved enough to send Leicester City into the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Jamie Vardy scored a last-gasp goal amid a dramatic finale as Leicester City clinched their place in the knockout stages of the Europa League in an enthralling 3-3 draw at Braga.
With AEK Athens losing to Zorya Luhansk in Group G’s other game on Thursday, the Foxes needed a point to book their place in the last 16, and thought they had it when Luke Thomas scored his first senior goal in the 78th minute to make it 2-2.
Yet Braga, who led at half-time thanks to goals from Al Musrati and Paulinho either side of Harvey Barnes’ equaliser, seemed to have snatched the win when substitute Fransergio slotted in on the counter.
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It was not to be, with Leicester’s talisman Vardy on hand to tuck home Marc Albrighton’s cross in the final minute of stoppage time and claim a precious, progression-sealing draw.
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Coming in clutch pic.twitter.com/B1EOuu179T
— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 26, 2020
Braga were ahead inside four minutes when, after Iuri Medeiros saw two efforts blocked, Musrati arrowed a thumping strike into the left-hand corner.
Leicester drew level with their first meaningful attack when Barnes lashrf in from a tight angle, but Braga’s lead was restored when Ricardo Horta skipped past Schmeichel before squaring for Paulinho to finish.
Cengiz Under squandered a swift chance to equalise and Leicester would have been made to pay if not for a fantastic double stop from Schmeichel to deny Paulinho and Horta.
Vardy’s introduction after the hour sparked life into Leicester and – after Jonny Evans had sliced wide – the pressure told, with substitute James Maddison drilling in a cross from which Thomas nudged home.
With Zorya cruising in Athens, Leicester appeared to be through but, at the culmination of a counter-attack, Fransergio powered a finish over Schmeichel to seemingly put the Foxes’ progression on hold.
Vardy, however, had other ideas and, after leading a charge down the left flank, kept his position to latch onto Albrighton’s delivery and side-foot into a gaping goal.
