Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was the star when these two sides clashed on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 EFL Championship season, scoring twice to salvage a win for Leicester City after Kyle McFadzean opened the scoring in the 47th minute.
With the Foxes flying high at the top of the table, would they be able to produce a similar result to see off a buoyant Coventry City side pushing for the playoffs? Undefeated since a slender loss to Ipswich Town on December 2, Mark Robins’ side would hope to derail their bitter rivals’ title push.
COV: Collins; Bidwell, Kitching, Thomas, van Ewijk; Palmer, Sheaf, Eccles, Sakamoto; O’Hare; Godden
LEI: Hermansen; Justin, Vestergaard, Faes, Pereira; Winks, Casadei; Mavididi, Dewsbury-Hall, Fatawu; Cannon
Mads Hermansen was put to work in the opening stages at the CBS Arena on Saturday, forced to tip Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s fierce delivery onto the crossbar after just six minutes as the Sky Blues looked to take an early lead.
But despite sitting comfortably at the top of the table, Leicester City looked shaky against their local rivals – and they were granted a lifeline just before the interval when Bobby Thomas clipped the leg of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall inside the box, allowing the Foxes midfielder to dispatch an effort past Brad Collins to open the scoring.
Embed from Getty ImagesJust minutes later though, the leaders would be reduced to ten men as Abdul Fatal Issahaku slid in from behind on Jake Bidwell, and the referee wasted no time in displaying a red card.
Coventry City’s numerical advantage looked to become clearer as the hour mark drew nearer, with an offside Matty Golden forcing a save from Hermansen before the linesman’s flag was raised.
With just over ten minutes remaining at the CBS Arena, Callum O’Hare restored parity for the Sky Blues, slotting home from ten yards after being neatly teed up by Jay Dasilva.
The goalscoring action was far from over though, with Milan van Ewijk seemingly sealing the three points in the 88th minute after the Foxes failed to clear a Sakamoto delivery – allowing the Dutchman to arrive on scene and smash an effort past Hermansen.
As the atmosphere ramped up inside the CBS Arena with the Sky Blues on the verge of a monumental victory, O’Hare arrived inside the box once more to deliver a damning blow to the Foxes, smashing home a volley to wrap up a well-worked victory for the host side.
Embed from Getty ImagesCoventry City’s next match sees them travel north to Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough, with that clash set to take place on Saturday 20 January.
Leicester City will welcome Ipswich Town to the King Power Stadium on 22 January, though they’ll be without Enzo Maresca on the touchline after the Italian picked up another yellow card during today’s encounter.
