Riyad Mahrez salvages point for Leicester with fine last-gasp free-kick to deny stubborn Bournemouth

Leicester City 1 AFC Bournemouth 1: The Foxes had chances to equalise and it looked like they would be denied, until Mahrez struck from 25 yards out deep into injury time

Sean Taylor
King Power Stadium
Saturday 03 March 2018 17:59 GMT
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Riyad Mahrez scored a last-gasp free-kick to win a point
Riyad Mahrez scored a last-gasp free-kick to win a point

Riyad Mahrez saved Leicester from defeat with a last-gasp goal to salvage a point from a 1-1 Premier League draw with Bournemouth.

It looked like Josh King's first half penalty would be enough for the Cherries to take all three points after they deservedly took the lead at the King Power Stadium.

Leicester had chances to equalise and it looked like they would be denied, until Mahrez struck from 25 yards out deep into injury time.

King broke the deadlock from the spot

Claude Puel's side began the game brightly but struggled to make a breakthrough against a stubborn, organised Bournemouth defence.

The visitors were dangerous on the counter-attack though and Junior Stanislas should have done better than shoot straight at Kasper Schmeichel with a clear sight of goal.

Mahrez could have put Leicester in front when through one on one with Asmir Begovic but the goalkeeper parried the ball behind for a corner.

The forward is congratulated after his penalty

Back at the other end, Bournemouth continued to put their hosts under pressure and Marc Albrighton clumsily stuck out a leg which Josh King fell over for a penalty.

The striker picked himself up to put away the spot-kick, sending Schmeichel the wrong way to give the visitors a deserved lead.

Leicester nearly gave themselves a mountain to climb as half-time approached when Harry Maguire's backpass was intercepted by Callum Wilson - but Schmeichel spared his team-mate's blushes and kept his team in the match with a touch to deny the striker.

Vardy went close for the hosts

Leicester tried to get back into the match but Bournemouth seemed content to hold on to what they had.

The visitors had a scare though when Jamie Vardy raced through on goal and Steve Cook made a saving block. It looked like a foul and referee Lee Probert looked long and hard but decided to allow play to continue.

Another last-ditch tackle from Nathan Ake prevented a second Vardy raid shortly afterwards, before a golden chance for Leicester to equalise came and went.

Maguire poked an effort goalwards but Begovic saved from point-blank range before somehow keeping out the rebound as well.

Leicester kept up the pressure and they were finally rewarded in the sixth minute of added time following another last ditch challenge from Cook, this time on substitute Kelechi Iheanacho.

Mahrez took centre stage and his driven shot flew into the bottom corner of the net.

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