Two second half goals from Andy King gave Paulo Sousa his first league win as Leicester City manager at the expense of high flying Cardiff.
The visitors took the lead in the first half when Lee Naylor’s bizarre cross-turned-shot deceived everyone - including Leicester goalkeeper Carl Ikeme who was caught off his line.
But the Foxes struck back through Andy King who made a late run into the penalty area to head home Richie Wellens’ cross.
King scored his second of the night seventeen minutes later with a superb curling strike, condemning Cardiff to their first loss of the season.
The win demonstrated that any bad memories from the end of last season when Cardiff dumped Leicester out of the play-offs on penalties had certainly been vanquished.
The match saw Martyn Waghorn’s return to the Walkers Stadium, who spent last season with Leicester on loan from Sunderland, scoring twelve goals in the process.
Cardiff – who were without the injured Michael Chopra, Craig Bellamy, Jay Bothroyd and Seyi Olofinjana – took the lead in after 26 minutes in the most bizarre circumstances.
Lee Naylor’s cross from over 40 yards out by the touchline managed to confuse everybody, including on loan goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, as it flew over his head and into the top corner.
It was very much the story of the season so far for the home side with the goal coming against the run of play, as it was Leicester that had started the stronger of the two teams.
Cardiff then took control of the match and created some good chances to double their lead, with Jason Koumas firing wide from a corner and Chris Burke hitting the target after some nice work from Peter Whittingham.
Leicester finished the first half enthusiastically and were unlucky not to draw level when Martyn Waghorn’s corner found Steve Howard in the six yard box, only to have his header scrambled away by the Cardiff defence.
The Foxes exploded out of the gates in the second half, forcing Cardiff to defend in numbers as Sousa’s preferred 4-3-3 formation began to make a game changing impact.
Six minutes into the second half, Leicester deservedly drew level after a pinpoint cross by Richie Wellens found Andy King who had made an untracked run into the penalty area and duly headed the ball past Bluebirds’ goalkeeper David Marshall.
After the equaliser, it was one way traffic for the majority of the second half as the pressure mounted on Cardiff – who had not lost away from home so far this season – as Leicester continued to attack the flanks courtesy of the pace of Martyn Waghorn and Lloyd Dyer.
Dyer had a great opportunity to put Leicester ahead after Steve Howard’s knock down fell into the path of the speedy winger, but he could only hit the side netting with a shot from a tight angle.
Skipper Matt Oakley then unleashed a fierce strike through the heart of the Cardiff defence which was parried by Marshall – who then excellently tipped Martyn Waghorn’s follow-up shot around the near post.
Leicester were rewarded for their persistence with just over twenty minutes to go when Andy King netted his second of the night – and fourth of the season – with a fantastic curling strike from inside the area to put the Foxes ahead, sending the home fans into raptures.
Leicester should have made it 3-1 after a calamitous goal kick from David Marshall put Lloyd Dyer through in on goal, but his shot hit the outside of the post and went agonisingly wide.
Leicester went on to see out the win after a nerve-racking five minutes of injury time, giving Paulo Sousa his first victory of the Championship campaign and the Blue Army faithful a sense of retribution following the play-off heartbreak of last season.
Man of the Match – Andy King
it looks as though City have finally found the path to success. Well done!
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