Carabao Cup - Leicester City 1-1 Aston Villa: Kelechi Iheanacho equaliser sets up second leg - BBC Sport
Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho scores a crucial second-half equaliser against Aston Villa to set up an intriguing EFL Cup semi-final second leg.
Kelechi Iheanacho's equaliser gave Leicester City a deserved draw to leave the Carabao Cup semi-final against Aston Villa delicately poised after an entertaining encounter at the King Power Stadium.

Substitute Iheanacho finished emphatically from Jamie Vardy's pass with 16 minutes left to give The Foxes the reward their incessant second-half pressure merited to set up a tense second leg at Villa Park.

Villa, struggling with injuries after goalkeeper Tom Heaton and striker Wesley were ruled out for the season, defended with organisation and resilience to protect the lead given to them after 28 minutes when Frederic Guilbert stole in at the far post to meet Anwar El Ghazi's cross.

Ezri Konsa's header also struck the bar for Villa but Leicester applied most of the pressure with keeper Orjan Nyland saving twice from James Maddison and Vardy, who also shot just wide late on, before he was beaten by Iheanacho's powerful strike from 12 yards.

The second leg at Villa Park takes place on Tuesday, 28 January.
• None Reaction to action from the King Power Stadium
• None Quiz: Name all EFL Cup semi-finalists of the 2010s

England manager Gareth Southgate was in the stands at The King Power Stadium to cast his eye over several players as he finalises his Euro 2020 plans.

Villa defender Tyrone Mings and Leicester pair James Maddison and Ben Chilwell have already won full caps - so Southgate will have been paying particular attention to Jack Grealish, who has been a key figure for Dean Smith's side this season.

Grealish is yet to make the breakthrough to full England status and his midfield battle with Maddison, who is yet to fully convince Southgate, was an intriguing sub-plot to this semi-final.

And the Villa captain did not disappoint, surely pressing his claims for inclusion in England's squad and the opportunity to put himself in contention for this summer's Euros.

Villa spent much of the game on the back foot but Grealish was composed and strong on the ball when he got the chance, always looking for the chance to play the decisive pass on the rare occasions they were able to build pressure.

Maddison is currently ahead of Grealish in Southgate's pecking order, but this classy display from the 24-year-old will have given Southgate food for thought as Villa set up a platform to give themselves a real chance of reaching the EFL Cup Final against either Manchester City or Manchester United.

Leicester City were not quite at their fluent best that has taken them into second place in the Premier League, forcing their way between runaway leaders Liverpool and reigning champions Manchester City.

And yet, despite this, the Foxes showed real determination and patience to maintain the pressure until marksman Vardy turned creator with an astute pass that released Iheanacho for his late leveller.

There were occasions when the home crowd, largely supportive, became impatient as Leicester probed but they stayed true to the principles of manager Brendan Rodgers and no-one apart from Villa could complain about their equaliser.

Rodgers would have wanted victory from this home leg but he looked satisfied at the final whistle, clearly believing this is a result Leicester City can work with at Villa Park, where their pace and power on the break - spearheaded by Vardy - may be an even bigger weapon than it was here, as it was in their recent 4-1 league victory.

'He has really come to the fore' - reaction

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers: "Kelechi is a big talent. He didn't play a lot of football at Manchester City and it takes a bit of time to adapt.

"But since I've come in his confidence has grown and grown and we believe in him and believe in his talent and this season he has really come to the fore.

"He works so hard every day. He's either making a goal or scoring a goal now and he works so hard in his pressing game. He was a threat when he came on against Villa and I'm delighted for him."

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith: "It should be a good second leg, all square and a boisterous crowd, a full house.

"It wasn't the performance I wanted, Leicester were the better team but we defended well at times. We have to be honest, they created chances as well. We were loose on the ball tonight, we've got to do better.

"I'm certainly content with a draw, just not the performance. We gave away a farcical goal. Ezri Konsa has got brain dazzled. A disappointing goal but it sums up some of our performance on the night. We did get in a lot of tackles and blocks."
• None Villa have scored 17 League Cup goals this season - their most since 2012-13, with Villa last scoring more in the 1999-00 campaign (18).
• None Villa have not kept a clean sheet on the road in all competitions in their last 17 games, last doing so against Bolton Wanderers in April 2019.
• None Iheanacho has been directly involved in seven goals in his five competitive appearances against Aston Villa (five goals, two assists) - more than any other opponent in his professional club career.
• None Vardy has provided five assists in his 22 appearances in all competitions this season; as many as he got for Leicester City in the previous two campaigns (five assists in 78 apps).
• None El Ghazi has been directly involved in 11 goals in all competitions for Aston Villa this season (five goals, six assists); only Grealish has more for the Villans (14).
• None Guilbert's goal in the 28th minute was Aston Villa's only shot on target in the match. In fact, they only recorded three shots in the entire game - the lowest total they have registered in all competitions since May 2016 against Newcastle United (two shots).
• None No player had more shots (eight), shots on target (two) or created more chances (four) than Leicester's Maddison in this match, with Grealish having zero shots and recording just one key pass by comparison.

Leicester are home to Southampton in the league on Saturday (15:00 GMT) and Villa host Manchester City on Sunday (16:30 GMT)
• None Attempt saved. Çaglar Söyüncü (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Christian Fuchs.
• None Attempt missed. Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.
• None Attempt blocked. James Maddison (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Fuchs.
• None Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ricardo Pereira following a fast break.
• None Attempt missed. James Maddison (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jamie Vardy. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page