Match ends, Leicester City 2, Everton 2.
LeicesterLeicester City2EvertonEverton2
- Everton twice lose lead after McGeady and Naismith score
- Leicester record signing Ulloa scores on his debut
- Wood levels as Leicester draw on Premier League return
Substitute Chris Wood struck late to deny Everton and earn Leicester City a point in their first Premier League match in a decade.
The striker slotted past Tim Howard with five minutes to go as the promoted side twice fought back from behind.
Aiden McGeady's curled effort had been instantly wiped out by home debutant Leonardo Ulloa before Steven Naismith finished smartly on half-time.
Everton looked comfortable, but Wood - linked with a move away - pounced.
The 22-year-old has reportedly seen a move to Wolves fall through but his stock will have risen as he ensured last season's Championship winners began life in the top flight defiantly.
The Foxes, with only four players with Premier League experience in their starting line-up, will need more of the same spirit if they are to survive but they now go into games against Chelsea and Arsenal with a point on the board.
| New season, new signings... |
|---|
| Leicester City: Marc Albrighton, Jack Barmby, Ben Hamer, Leonardo Ulloa, Matthew Upson, Louis Rowley |
| Everton: Brendan Galloway, Romelu Lukaku, Gareth Barry, Muhamed Besic, Christian Atsu, Sam Byrne |
Such an outcome had looked unlikely when Everton - winless and defeated by Leicester in pre-season - took the lead on 21 minutes when Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had no answer to McGeady's curling effort after denying Sylvain Distin.
The 28-year-old's accurate finish was his first goal since joining the Blues in January, but Ulloa made sure his impact was more instant.
The Argentine, an £8m acquisition from Brighton, prodded home from eight yards when Distin failed to clear a corner, but his manager Nigel Pearson sat motionless in the stands as home fans celebrated a Premier League goal.
Pearson, who was without new signings Matthew Upson and Marc Albrighton through injury, had called for his side to play the match and not the occasion ahead of kick-off.
His words seemed lost after a frenetic start and seconds after the home equaliser, Naismith saw a goal disallowed when the ball crept out of play in the build-up.
It was a warning Leicester failed to heed as the Scot swivelled to fire in off the crossbar on the stroke of half-time after good work on the left from Leighton Baines, who was typically prominent - making 34 of his 56 passes in the Leicester half.
Everton, dealt a blow by an injury to midfielder Ross Barkley late in pre-season, looked controlled and set to build on the momentum which saw them set a club-record Premier League points tally of 72 in 2013-14.
That consistency means they must balance Europa League commitments with domestic demands for the first time since 2010.
Four years ago, the workload saw them slip to an eighth place finish and a point at Leicester was not the start fans buoyed by a record summer spend had hoped for.
| Draw written all over it... |
|---|
| Eight of the last 10 league games between the sides have ended in a draw and Leicester have never won on the opening day in the Premier League |
The home side notched 102 points on their way to promotion and looked determined to not wilt when behind, but when substitute Jeffrey Schlupp raced clear to smash embarrassingly over the bar, a draw looked to be slipping away.
Their cause could have been helped when Gareth Barry survived being shown a second yellow card for a clumsy block, but when a shot from the impressive Riyad Mahrez deflected into the path of Wood, he scored a dramatic equaliser.
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Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Schmeichel
- 2de Laet
- 5Morgan
- 18MooreBooked at 71mins
- 3Konchesky
- 26Mahrez
- 10King
- 4DrinkwaterSubstituted forHammondat 39'minutes
- 24KnockaertSubstituted forSchluppat 64'minutes
- 23UlloaSubstituted forWoodat 78'minutes
- 35Nugent
Substitutes
- 7Hammond
- 12Hamer
- 15Schlupp
- 20Hopper
- 22Taylor-Fletcher
- 27Wasilewski
- 39Wood
Everton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 24Howard
- 26Stones
- 6Jagielka
- 15Distin
- 3Baines
- 16McCarthy
- 18BarryBooked at 68mins
- 7McGeadySubstituted forColemanat 85'minutes
- 14Naismith
- 22PienaarSubstituted forMirallasat 81'minutes
- 10Lukaku
Substitutes
- 1Robles
- 11Mirallas
- 17Besic
- 19Atsu
- 21Osman
- 23Coleman
- 30Alcaraz
- Referee:
- Mike Jones
- Attendance:
- 31,603
Match Stats
Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamEverton
- Possession
- Home37%
- Away63%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Leicester City 2, Everton 2.
Post update
Attempt missed. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Leighton Baines with a cross.
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Attempt blocked. Kevin Mirallas (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Leighton Baines.
Post update
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Liam Moore.
Post update
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Ritchie de Laet.
Goal!
Goal! Leicester City 2, Everton 2. Chris Wood (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Andy King (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jeffrey Schlupp.
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Seamus Coleman replaces Aiden McGeady.
Post update
Foul by Aiden McGeady (Everton).
Post update
Jeffrey Schlupp (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Steven Naismith (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Dean Hammond (Leicester City).
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Phil Jagielka (Everton) because of an injury.
Post update
Phil Jagielka (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Dangerous play by Chris Wood (Leicester City).
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Kevin Mirallas replaces Steven Pienaar.
Post update
Foul by Gareth Barry (Everton).
