Jamie Vardy rescues a point for Leicester in relegation showdown

Jamie Vardy rescues a point for Leicester in relegation showdown,In warmups before its game at Leeds United on Tuesday. Leicester City players kicked speculative shots at the opponents' goal. Most of them missed, but when Jamie Vardy stepped up for his turn, the 36-year-old striker made every one.

Jamie Vardy rescues a point for Leicester in relegation showdown

In warmups before its game at Leeds United on Tuesday. Leicester City players kicked speculative shots at the opponents’ goal. Most of them missed, but when Jamie Vardy stepped up for his turn, the 36-year-old striker made every one.

It was a harbinger of his showing in the game.

After a long, tense Leicester performance full of off-target shots, Vardy changed the narrative of the game in the 70th minute, slotting home a beautiful goal — his first in the Premier League since October. His goal in the 1-1 tie could spare Leicester the embarrassment of demotion to England’s second tier.

JAMIE VARDY OFF THE BENCH FOR THE EQUALIZER! @USANetwork | #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/5o7GZlJ0tQ

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) April 25, 2023

“It could be massive,” Vardy told the media of his goal afterward. “I probably can’t say what I want to say because I’ll probably get done saying it on TV, but it’s been a weird season for myself. I’ve got [a goal] now, so hopefully during this run to the end of the season they keep coming.”

Leicester and Leeds — well-supported clubs based outside of England’s major urban centers — entered this match fighting for their Premier League lives.

Leicester started well, but it faded after having a goal disallowed in the opening minutes. Leeds capitalized on Leicester’s confusion and slotted home a clever headed goal to steal back the momentum.

As the gravity of the relegation clash sunk in, both teams got sloppy. Leicester committed a few silly fouls that led to Luis Sinisterra, Leeds’ best player in the match, being replaced before the first half ended.

Leeds failed to lock down its defense and made a mess of what should have been simple clearances. When Vardy finally scored — fed by Kelechi Iheanacho, who has a groin injury — it was one of the only clean attacks of the match.

“It was probably a fair result because of the chances they had in the last minute,” new Leicester manager Dean Smith said. “There’s a lot of character in the performance. We created the big moments. Cut out the lapses in concentration and we will be fine.”

With their team two points off the relegation zone, Leicester fans may not be ready to exhale just yet. But Smith has a point. In the two weeks since he took over the club, Leicester has shown more character than it showed in the eight previous months without him.

This comeback was another sign of life from a team many thought might be done.

“When you get a new manager it gives you a new lift, a new hunger,” Leceister midfielder James Maddison said. “You have a new man to impress. The players are really fighting, and that’s another point.”