Match ends, Leicester City 2, West Ham United 1.
LeicesterLeicester City2West HamWest Ham United1
- Leicester win first league game in nine
- Foxes' Nugent has penalty saved at 1-0
- King scores first goal in 12 months
- Pearson's side four points from safety
Substitute Andy King's late winner revived Leicester's Premier League survival hopes as they beat West Ham.
Esteban Cambiasso's superb 20-yard left-footed strike gave Nigel Pearson's side the early lead, but the Foxes' David Nugent then had a penalty saved.
West Ham enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure after that and deserved Chiekhou Kouyate's equaliser.
Kouyate hit the post in the second half, but King turned in Jamie Vardy's mis-hit shot with four minutes to play.
It was the Wales midfielder's first goal of the season, and ended Leicester's run of eight league matches without a win, stretching back to 10 January.
Nigel Pearson's side remain bottom of the table, four points adrift of safety, but the attacking threat they showed will give their manager hope that they can yet avoid the drop.
Pearson's need for victories prompted him to play an extra attacking midfielder in Riyad Mahrez, rather than bring in a direct replacement for injured centre-back Matthew Upson.
The result was a first-half display full of attacking vigour, but marked by defensive vulnerability. Leicester's decision to bring on Marc Albrighton for Mahrez at half-time did at least reduce the threat that Aaron Cresswell had been providing down the West Ham left, although both teams continued to create openings in a terrific match.
The hosts should have been two goals up inside the first 15 minutes of a breathless contest, yet could have been behind by the break.
Cambiasso's strike gave them the ideal start, as he steered a shot into the corner after Nugent's attempted pass had bounced off the back of defender James Collins.
Within moments, Hammers full-back Carl Jenkinson conceded a penalty with a mistimed sliding challenge on Leonardo Ulloa, but keeper Adrian - who looked to have come off his line early - dived to his left to save Nugent's spot-kick.
The visitors had several chances to equalise before they did, eventually scoring when Jeffrey Schlupp got underneath Alex Song's diagonal ball in, leaving Kouyate unmarked to control and finish at the far post.
| Pearson's high five |
|---|
| Leicester have scored five goals in their last two Premier League matches - as many as they had managed in their previous eight. |
The final 25 minutes brought a glut of opportunities at both ends, with Leicester substitute Jamie Vardy passing up three in quick succession.
West Ham rode that spell of pressure to create several good openings of their own, the best of which ended with Kouyate hitting the post after being set up by Diafra Sakho.
Kasper Schmeichel made a terrific flying save to tip over Downing's deflected shot, and Jenkinson headed Morgan Amalfitano's cross straight at the Leicester keeper.
But in a gripping finish, Andrej Kramaric had a shot cleared off the line moments before fellow substitute King scrambled in a winner to Pearson's delight.
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson: "In the first half, we got off to a good start and missed a penalty - and I think the players had a moment of doubting themselves.
"That allowed West Ham to have a dominant spell. But in the second half, we did a good job of taking the initiative again, and I think we deserved to win the game."
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce: "I just can't believe we missed so many chances. When you're in control of the game, you have to take the chances when you get them.
"Against a team battling for survival such as Leicester, if you get the lead, it kills them. They start to think: 'Here we go again.' That's how ruthless you have to be. Because we didn't do that, it gave them the chance."
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Schmeichel
- 2de LaetSubstituted forKingat 79'minutes
- 14Huth
- 5Morgan
- 15Schlupp
- 8James
- 19Cambiasso
- 26MahrezSubstituted forAlbrightonat 45'minutes
- 35Nugent
- 9Vardy
- 23UlloaSubstituted forKramaricat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Konchesky
- 4Drinkwater
- 10King
- 11Albrighton
- 27Wasilewski
- 32Schwarzer
- 40Kramaric
West Ham
Formation 4-3-2-1
- 13Adrián
- 18JenkinsonBooked at 14mins
- 19Collins
- 2ReidBooked at 53mins
- 3CresswellBooked at 85mins
- 16Noble
- 30SongSubstituted forde Carvalhoat 88'minutes
- 8Kouyaté
- 11Downing
- 4NolanSubstituted forAmalfitanoat 65'minutes
- 15SakhoSubstituted forColeat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Jarvis
- 12de Carvalho
- 17O'Brien
- 20Demel
- 21Amalfitano
- 22Jääskeläinen
- 24Cole
- Referee:
- Mark Clattenburg
- Attendance:
- 31,863
Match Stats
Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamWest Ham
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away7
- Corners
- Home7
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Leicester City 2, West Ham United 1.
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Attempt saved. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrej Kramaric.
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Foul by Carl Jenkinson (West Ham United).
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David Nugent (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Carlton Cole (West Ham United) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Nenê with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Jeffrey Schlupp.
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Carlton Cole (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Marc Albrighton (Leicester City).
Substitution
Substitution, West Ham United. Nenê replaces Alexandre Song.
Goal!
Goal! Leicester City 2, West Ham United 1. Andy King (Leicester City) right footed shot from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.
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Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Andrej Kramaric.
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Attempt blocked. Wes Morgan (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marc Albrighton with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Andrej Kramaric (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Matthew James with a cross following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Mark Noble (West Ham United).
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Andrej Kramaric (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Booking
Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United).
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Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Kasper Schmeichel.
