Brentford 0-1 Leicester: Iheanacho powers Foxes into FA Cup last-16 as scrapping Brentford slip out

It had all the makings of something special.

We had two of the best-run clubs in their respective divisions, both experts at embarrassing better-resourced opponents, coming together at a famous old ground which was, in all likelihood, seeing its last ever FA Cup tie. It was, in short, an occasion made for this grand old competition.

And Griffin Park, about to be replaced by a more functional modern venue by Kew Bridge, would play its part with gusto.

Leicester edged into the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday after beating Brentford at Griffin Park 

Iheanacho tapped in from close range to round off a superb team move just four minutes in

Bryan Mbeumo thought he had equalised late on but his goal was ruled out for offside

Overshadowed by the M4 flyover but for those towering floodlights, which are, along with its swaying, cramped terraces, a 1970s throwback, it is beloved by aficionados, crammed in between West London’s terraced streets and, famously, with a pub on all four corners. 

It was suitably heaving for the visit of the 2016 Premier League champions.

Brendan Rodgers, who used to oversee Chelsea reserves at this ground, took time out before the game to drink it all in. 

‘Normally, I’ll stay in the changing room and the players go out to warm up in all these great stadiums,’ he said. ‘But I found myself before the game coming out onto the pitch. Seeing the standing behind the goal, it brings you back to real football.

Knowing that times have changed, we probably didn’t expect the star turns for Leicester. But we had come to watch Brentford’s star turns: Olly Watkins, Bryan Mbeumo and Said Benrahma, the forward line tearing up The Championship and due in the Premier League maybe as soon as next season. 

Instead, we got Joel Valencia, Halil Dervisoglu and Emiliano Marcondes, the honourable understudies, doing a decent job of keeping the show on the road.

We get it, of course. Nottingham Forest playing here on Tuesday night in the Championship is infinitely more important. Reaching the Premier League would be as momentous for Brentford as Leicester’s title winning season was for them.  

Marc Albrighton looks to hold on to possession as Brentford players swarm around him

Ayoze Perez dribbles forward after skipping past a Brentford player during Saturday’s game

‘Of course the Tuesday game is more important but we wanted to win both games,’ said Thomas Frank, the affable Dane making such a success of his tenure here.

Leicester of course have their eyes on a return to the Champions League. And that, of course, is a bigger prize than the FA Cup. They made £73m from the competition that last time they were in it. 

That means more. It changes everything about a club. In addition they have a Carabao Cup semi final on Tuesday.

Still it’s hard not to look at nine changes apiece and not be disappointed. It feels like you’re watching some kind of mid-winter interlude, a lull in the programme before the real stuff begins again.

To be fair, the players on the pitch approached the task as though the old cup still meant what it once did. Under Rodgers, Leicester have become a sinewy, lean team full of cold resolve. The second string look like a hungry pack finally released to hunt their prey.

They started as though they had a point to prove. Twenty seconds in and Kelechi Iheanacho had played in Ayoze Perez, one of the two first-team survivors, who skipped past goalkeeper Luke Daniels. A super-fast goal beckoned but the ball slightly ran away from him and Luka Racic stretched out a leg to touch it away. 

Bees manager Thomas Frank tries to encourage his players from the touchline

Four minutes in and Leicester had asserted their authority. Dennis Praet drilled a superb ball through the Brentford midfield for 21-year-old right back, James Justin, who had run beyond the opposition back line. 

He met the pass decisively, crossing first time, speeding the ball across the six yard box for Iheanacho, who, with a lovely run, connected to score.

Brentford though were not cowed. In fact they were mightily impressive for what was effectively the second string. 

‘When we can make so many changes and we’re still solid and players play the way they have done, then it’s a massive credit to them and to where we are as a club,’ said Frank.

On 17 minutes Jan Zamburek played in Emiliano Marcondes who shot sharply into the side netting. On 20 minutes, Dervisoglu turned Praet and created himself space to shoot but curled his shot wide. 

Marc Albrighton responded with a shot from outside the box on 33 minutes and Daniels had to save well from Perez at close range at the close of the half.

But Brentford weren’t done. They gathered momentum after the break, Valencia shooting across the face of goal early in the second half while a Marcondes cross required Christian Fuchs to turn the ball away, hitting the post as it did so, on 63 minutes. 

Griffin Park saw its last FA Cup game, with Brentford set to move down the road next season

They plugged away as Rodgers shuffled his pack, withdrawing Iheanacho – saved for Tuesday’s semi-final – who was replaced by debutant Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. But he threw Maddison into the mix for the final 13 minutes.

Frank responded, Mbeumo finally getting on for those final nine minutes. And though he did have the ball in the net, it was correctly disallowed. In fact it was a moment just before that, on 83 minutes, which seemed definitive. 

Marcondes sent in a corner and Racic managed to connect, lifting his leg unnaturally high to direct high towards the Leicester net. 

Griffin Park anticipated the inevitable and prepared to roar its approval but Danny Ward thrust out a strong hand and, stretching with impressive athleticism, managed to turn it over his crossbar.

Frank though would have felt ambivalent about a late equaliser in any case. ‘What I didn’t want was a draw,’ he said. 

‘So if we scored in the last minute there were only two options: take the centre backs out or put everybody up. I don’t understand how we can have replays. 

‘I love the FA Cup and the tradition and culture of England. But I don’t get that! That is part of killing one of the finest cup tournaments in the world.’

He would be fine. There would be no late drama, no replays to interrupt the flow of league football. And Griffin Park, which first hosted an FA Cup game here in 1904, had seen the last of this once grand old competition.