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Newcastle United 1-1 Leicester City: Leicester win 4-2 on pens


Kasper Schmeichel saved from Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden in the penalty shootout

Leicester beat Premier League rivals Newcastle 4-2 on penalties at St James’ Park to reach the Carabao Cup third round.

Jamie Vardy scored the decisive spot-kick after Kasper Schmeichel had saved from Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden.

James Maddison had earlier put Leicester in front in the first half with a deflected free-kick.

Newcastle equalised after the break through Yoshinori Muto’s close-range finish.

The Magpies also lost Matt Ritchie, who has started all three of their Premier League games so far this season, to an ankle injury at the end of the first half following a heavy challenge by Leicester midfielder Hamza Choudhury.

Choudhury was booked for the tackle, which left Ritchie requiring three stitches, with Newcastle manager Steve Bruce describing it after the game as a “horror challenge”.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers says he wants to go far in the cup competitions this season and demonstrated that determination by naming a strong side, with the likes of Vardy, Maddison and former Magpies forward Ayoze Perez all retaining their places from Saturday’s Premier League win at Sheffield United.

Newcastle, in contrast, showed seven changes to the team that won their first game of the season at Tottenham on Sunday, including a debut for 21-year-old midfielder Matty Longstaff – brother of Sean – and a first start since January for Ciaran Clark.

Bruce’s side were content to sit back and soak up the pressure like they did so successfully at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The result was a game of few chances, with just three shots on target throughout the 90 minutes.

It was perhaps no surprise, therefore, that the opener came from a set-piece, with Maddison’s 25-yard free-kick deflecting off Matt Ritchie in the Newcastle wall and beyond a wrong-footed Karl Darlow.

Newcastle were much more positive at the start of the second half and were rewarded with the equaliser when Muto reacted quickest in the six-yard box after Jetro Willems had gone down under a challenge from Ricardo Pereira.

But neither side could force a winner and the game drifted towards a penalty shootout.

Schmeichel saved two of Newcastle’s four spot-kicks, allowing Vardy the chance to score past Darlow and send the Foxes through to the next round, where they will visit Championship side Luton.

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce: “It’s frustrating. We have to accept it and get on with it. It’s been cruel to us. I can’t do anything but the problems we had, the way we went about our work, I was delighted. Defensively we’ve looked rock solid at Spurs and Arsenal and today. I just hope the attacking side comes now, which I think it will.”

On Hamza Choudhury’s tackle on Matt Ritchie: “The mess Matt Ritchie’s in – it was a horror challenge. When I see the mess on his leg. We fear ankle damage, he’s got three stitches in his leg. I don’t want players sent off but when it’s horror challenges, it isn’t good. It’s a horror one, it’s over the top. Believe me, it’s a horrible one.”

Leicester assistant boss Chris Davies: “The dressing room is very happy. We showed our intent to win and get through with our team selection. A shootout is always difficult but we’re thankful we went through.

“Kasper’s a big personality for us and even in practice he wants to put force on the taker. He made two excellent saves tonight and he was a hero for us.

“This gives you a flavour of what the cup competitions are about. It’s exciting and we see it as a great opportunity. We’re really excited about this and the FA Cup.”

On Choudhury’s tackle: “It was a strong tackle. He’s a competitor – if the ball is there to be won, he’ll go for it. There was certainly no malice whatsoever from Hamza.”





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