Leicester City 2-1 Coventry City: Dewsbury-Hall inspires turnaround
Leicester City 2-1 Coventry City: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall inspires late turnaround for the Foxes as they get their Championship campaign off to a winning start in Enzo Maresca’s first game in charge
- Leicester started their Championship campaign with a 2-1 win over Coventry
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s two goals were enough after Kyle McFadzean’s opener
- It was former Man City assistant Enzo Maresca’s first game in charge of the Foxes
With 15 minutes left and the home fans growing restless, Enzo Maresca must have wished he was back posing for pictures with Pep Guardiola after Manchester City’s Treble win, celebratory cigar between his lips.
The new Leicester head coach had watched his side fall behind to Kyle McFadzean’s header early in the second half and breathed a sigh of relief as Coventry missed chance after chance to make the game safe.
Because there is no hiding place when you’re the boss, Enzo. None of Pep’s reflected glory to bask in when your team defend like a pub veterans’ XI after a heavy night.
But then Leicester’s Premier League quality rescued them. A glorious cross from substitute Dennis Praet was headed in by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the 75th minute.
Then seconds after Coventry sub Haji Wright had hit the bar, Dewsbury-Hall struck Leicester’s second three minutes from full-time.
Leicester City started life back in the Championship with an 2-1 victory over Coventry
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was the hero as he netted twice late on to secure the three points
It was the perfect beginning to Enzo Maresca’s time in charge after taking over in the summer
Although they were perhaps a bit fortunate after Coventry missed several guilt-edged chances
Maresca leapt into the arms of his backroom team and Leicester’s bid to make an immediate return to the Premier League had its winning start.
Yet for all Maresca’s engaging chat about playing philosophies and for all his sub-Guardiola tactical manoeuvres, the one thing all successful managers need is a bit of luck, and Maresca had a huge slice of it here.
‘The fans want us to play quickly but going quickly does not mean you create more chances or attack better,’ said Maresca when asked about the frustration in the stands.
‘Our idea is not to go slowly, but when you are 1-0 down and the opponent is giving you no space, you try to slow down.
‘I can understand the fans but we need them to understand that this is our idea. In the first half the team showed what we are looking for.’
James Maddison and Harvey Barnes had departed since relegation for a combined fee of nearly £80million and Maresca will want to invest more than the £30m he has already spent.
It felt significant that several of Leicester’s Premier League campaigners were left on the bench here.
The Sky Blues were hoping to bounce back from losing in last season’s play-off final to Luton
They started well and went into the lead when defender Kyle McFadzean headed home
It was a hard-fought and open game between the two teams based in the East Midlands
Leicester moved the ball well enough during the opening exchanges but Coventry were one of the best defensive sides in the division last season.
The Sky Blues lost on penalties to Luton in the play-off final and also lost star striker Viktor Gyokeres to Sporting Lisbon over the summer.
‘There’s a lot of Manchester City in Leicester’s movements and switches of play,’ said Coventry boss Mark Robins.
‘They have Premier League-quality players and in the end it showed but we had chances and if we had gone 2-1 up, they would not have come back.’
Coventry threatened regularly with debutants Bobby Thomas and Ellis Simms going close, so it was no real surprise when they moved in front shortly after half-time.
Simms had already missed a glorious chance seconds before McFadzean drifted away from Wilfred Ndidi to head in the excellent Gustavo Hamer’s corner at the near post, with Leicester’s new goalkeeper Mads Hermansen glued to his line.
After that, Coventry had chances to win more than one game. Matt Godden volleyed straight at Hermansen and the forward then twice failed when put clean through.
By now the home fans were booing when Hermansen dwelled on the ball but they were on their feet 15 minutes from time when Praet’s cross delivery was met with a firm downward header from Dewsbury-Hall.
Back came Coventry. On as a substitute, their new £7m striker Haji Wright’s deflected strike was flicked on to the bar by Hermansen and Godden put the rebound wide.
Coventry were made to pay moments later when impressive new signing Stephy Mavididi found Dewsbury-Hall in space inside the box and the finish was outstanding.
It was a new-look Leicester side with former England man Harry Winks one of four debutants
The Foxes had their Premier League quality to thank for the late turnaround in the game
