Leicester City 2-2 Everton: Foxes’ fight back to nick late draw

The last nine times these teams have met they have drawn on seven occasions, so there was no surprise when this one ended in a tie.

What a game and what a return to the big-time for the Foxes.

Premier League new boys Leicester City fought back to draw 2-2 against Everton at the King Power Stadium on Saturday in an hugely entertaining game. Everton went ahead through Aiden McGeady’s wonderstrike early on, but less than 90 seconds later Leonardo Ulloa equalized for the Foxes. Just before half time Steven Naismith put the Toffees back in front with a fine equalizer.

They held that lead until five minutes from the end, but Tim Howard‘s side couldn’t hold on as substitute Chris Wood slotted home to give Leicester their first PL points in a decade.

Leicester City started brightly at the King Power Stadium as some delicious deliveries tested Howard and his Everton defense. In the 16th minute Wes Morgan smashed an effort from the edge of the box just wide of the post as the Foxes settled back into life in the PL.

However in the 21st minute Everton took the lead through a superb strike from McGeady. After a corner the ball broke to Leighton Baines on the edge of the box, the left back’s shot was deflected into Sylvain Distin’s path who saw his effort blocked by Kasper Schmeichel but the rebound fell to McGeady who curled home an inch-perfect strike into the top corner. 1-0 to the Toffees.

Less than 90 seconds later Leicester were level as Ulloa scored on his debut following his move from Brighton and Hove Albion this summer. The Argentine striker reacted quickly as Everton failed to clear an out-swinging corner from the left and Ulloa pounced to make it 1-1.

In an hugely entertaining game the Toffees reacted well to conceding as Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku combined to carve out some chances. Everton went close through McGeady on two more occasions as the Irish winger proved a real livewire in the opening 45 minutes. Leicester were dealt a blow just before half time as Danny Drinkwater hobbled off injured and was replaced by Dean Hammond.

Just before the break they got an even bigger blow as Naismith finished superbly to clip Baines’ cross in off the crossbar. Everton were 2-1 up at the break. Leicester bombarded Everton’s goal with set pieces and the home side were spurred on by their fans as they pushed for an equalizer in the second half.

A lengthy stoppage disrupted the flow of the second half as James McCarthy looked to have overstretched his knee ligaments when challenging for a ball in midfield. The Scottish international returned to the pitch and continued but looked far from comfortable. Leicester brought on Jeffrey Schlupp and he went clean through against Howard within seconds of coming on. However the young attacker lost his composure and smashed the ball high and wide, then fell to the turf in disbelief. A wasted chance for the Foxes to equalize.

That missed didn’t upset the Foxes stride and substitute Wood equalized with five minutes to go. Everton again failed to clear their lines sufficiently and the ball fell to the New Zealand international on the left side of the box. He slotted home coolly for his first-ever PL goal to bag a point for Leicester and leave Everton shaking their heads.

-- Joe Prince-Wright, ProSoccerTalk.com