Match ends, Leicester City 1, FC København 0.
LeicesterLeicester City1FC CopenhagenFC Copenhagen0
Leicester City stand one victory away from qualification for the Champions League knockout phase after beating Copenhagen at the King Power Stadium to make it three wins from three in their group.
Riyad Mahrez steered in Islam Slimani's knockdown from close range five minutes before half-time time as the Premier League champions left their domestic struggles behind to remain firmly on course to top Group G.
Leicester's win was not without its anxious moments, with former Cardiff City striker Andreas Cornelius heading inches wide moments after the Foxes had taken the lead.
And it took a brilliant one-handed save from goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in the closing minutes to thwart Cornelius again and maintain Leicester's unblemished defensive record in this season's Champions League.
Leicester can now secure a place in the last 16 with a win in Denmark on 2 November, having already guaranteed at least a Europa League spot.
How far can Leicester go?
When Leicester's thoughts turned to their first Champions League campaign, qualification from Group G would have been regarded as a major success for manager Claudio Ranieri and his players.
But the Foxes may just fancy their chances of taking the dream journey a step further after becoming only the fifth competition debutants in Champions League history, after AC Milan, Paris St-Germain, Juventus and Malaga, to win their opening three games.
Topping the group would make life a lot easier in the last-16 draw as it vastly increases the chances of drawing beatable opponents when all logic - something, admittedly, they defied last season - suggests they would struggle against Europe's elite.
The King Power Stadium is a compact and atmospheric arena, swirling with noise, that is perfectly designed for European nights and making even the most illustrious sides uncomfortable.
If Leicester can keep up this form, and the likes of Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and Slimani can provide the threat to supplement the defensive resilience that won the Premier League, then there may be plenty of sides they can trouble.
Vardy still searching for magic touch
England striker Vardy's work-rate and determination was not in question for a moment here but he is still searching for the elusive spark that brought him 24 Premier League goals in last season's title win.
He is not hiding away and is still tireless in his running - but he is now clearly a marked man by opposition made aware of his pace and threat with his deeds last season.
Vardy has now gone eight games without a goal - a decline that might be partly explained by the fact he is now providing support for £29m man Slimani, whereas last season he was, along with Mahrez, the focal point, with team-mates working for him.
Against Copenhagen, he was often seen on the flanks and played his part in creating the goal, crossing from the left for Slimani to head into goalscorer Mahrez's path.
Home fans certainly appreciated his efforts, which were rewarded with a standing ovation when he was replaced by Shinji Okazaki.
The 29-year-old hit a hot streak last season and did not stop scoring - Leicester and Ranieri will hope he does the same once he finds the target again.
Foxes leave domestic struggles behind
Leicester's flawless Champions League record provides a sharp contrast to their struggles for form as they defend their Premier League title.
In domestic football, Leicester have lost four of their first eight league games - more than they lost in their title campaign - and conceded 14 goals.
Leicester's defence still looked uncertain here, even at the set-pieces that were a strength last season, and it needed that magnificent save from Schmeichel here to secure the win.
Perhaps the Foxes' style is still more of a surprise to European sides than the Premier League rivals they punished last season. Maybe they are finding the rarefied air of the Champions League more to their liking than the pressure of defending the domestic title.
One thing is certain - there currently appear to be two Leicester City teams in existence.
Man of the Match - Danny Drinkwater (Leicester)
The stats you need to know
- Islam Slimani registered his first Champions League assist in his ninth appearance in the competition.
- Copenhagen have only kept a clean sheet on one of their five visits to English soil in European competition (0-0 versus Chelsea in March 2011).
- On each of the previous 64 occasions when a side has won their opening three Champions League group games they have gone on to progress to the next stage (including second group stage).
- Leicester now have more points from three Champions League games (9) than they do from eight Premier League games (8) this season.
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Schmeichel
- 17Simpson
- 5Morgan
- 6Huth
- 28FuchsBooked at 79mins
- 26MahrezSubstituted forAmarteyat 90+2'minutes
- 10King
- 4Drinkwater
- 11Albrighton
- 9VardySubstituted forOkazakiat 85'minutes
- 19SlimaniSubstituted forUlloaat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Hernández
- 7Musa
- 13Amartey
- 15Schlupp
- 20Okazaki
- 21Zieler
- 23Ulloa
FC Copenhagen
Formation 4-4-2
- 31Olsen
- 22AnkersenSubstituted forGregusat 87'minutes
- 25M JorgensenBooked at 88mins
- 5Johansson
- 3Augustinsson
- 7VerbicSubstituted forFalk Jensenat 66'minutes
- 6Kvist
- 8Delaney
- 24ToutouhSubstituted forPavlovicat 85'minutes
- 19Santander
- 11Cornelius
Substitutes
- 1Andersen
- 2Høgli
- 15Antonsson
- 16Gregus
- 17Kusk
- 23Pavlovic
- 33Falk Jensen
- Referee:
- Nicola Rizzoli
- Attendance:
- 31,037
Match Stats
Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamFC Copenhagen
- Possession
- Home41%
- Away59%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away4
- Corners
- Home3
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Leicester City 1, FC København 0.
Post update
Thomas Delaney (FC København) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Daniel Drinkwater (Leicester City).
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Daniel Amartey replaces Riyad Mahrez.
Post update
Foul by Andreas Cornelius (FC København).
Post update
Christian Fuchs (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Jan Gregus (FC København) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Leonardo Ulloa (Leicester City).
Post update
Attempt saved. Andreas Cornelius (FC København) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Federico Santander.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Leonardo Ulloa replaces Islam Slimani.
Booking
Zanka (FC København) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Zanka (FC København).
Post update
Islam Slimani (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, FC København. Jan Gregus replaces Peter Ankersen.
Post update
Corner, FC København. Conceded by Danny Simpson.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Federico Santander (FC København) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Peter Ankersen.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Shinji Okazaki replaces Jamie Vardy.
Substitution
Substitution, FC København. Andrija Pavlovic replaces Youssef Toutouh.
Post update
Attempt saved. William Kvist (FC København) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Rasmus Falk Jensen.
Comments
Join the conversation
It means that Leicester got that reward of a more navigable group and they are taking that chance with some style... If they can hold on to top spot and get a nice draw in the 16, who knows...
Tremendous.
Fantastic result tonight, hopefully now they can get out of the group and draw one of the big teams for the fans
Dilly ding 1, dilly dong 0
Need a league win on Saturday though!
This is an important moment when you consider McNulty's dross we had to endure around the mid-table Monday night football last night.
It would be nice if they started to win more games in the Prem and show why they were Champions last year and at least make top 10, with the squad they have I know they can do better.
Keep it up lads.
You have done the impossible once........
But you can't take anything away from them.
Premier league champs last year and looking good for knock out stages in Europe...
A fantastic achievement...