Zorya 1, Leicester 0, positives and negatives, player ratings, and match report

Brendan Rodgers fielded a team of a new mix and giving more players the opportunity is of course good. Wilfred Ndidi and Caglar Coyuncu were both starting, starts also to Danny Ward and Wes Morgan, Kelechi Iheanacho and Chengiz Under.

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The game had little or no special importance with Leicester through to the next stage, though not winning the group would be seen as a weak point, but in the end when you play in the finals of this tournament you will meet good teams in every round going to the final.

Chances were few and the City team suffered early on with players not really ready to play 90 minutes and to see both Soyuncu and Pereira back on the injury list is a big blow, and probably not what we would have hoped for.

Zorya must be said to be the positive of the two teams, with Leicester City goalkeeper on the night Danny Ward saving two good attempts. Leicester had two early attempts but both were just not close enough to get the goal needed.

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Zorya then made the vital goal but left it late until the 84th minute with the sub Sayyadmanesh scoring and becoming a bit historical as this was the first goal Zorya ever scored against an English team and when that turned out to be the winner, he also secured the first ever win as well.

Leicester City looks a bit lost after they were defeated away to Liverpool, at home to Fulham and no last away to Zorya, hopefully things will turn to the better against Sheffield United coming up next Sunday.

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Brendan Rodgers must be relieved that the team is back on winning ways and with a number of injuries he managed to get it right with his game plan, and of course having James Maddison on the field makes a difference.

It was a must win, but all credit to players and management as they managed to bring the game into the field they should and as predicted made it a good day in the office.

• Positives
  • Giving injury returns a chance
  • A few ok chances but nothing more
• Negatives:
  • Again a bit out of touch
  • Brendan in charge of yet another defeat
  • Probably a bit to early for players that got a new knock
  • Tactically not good enough

• Player Ratings: Ward 6, Pereira 5, Justin 5, Soyuncu, Morgan 4, Choudhury 6, Praet 4, Barnes 5, Ndidi 6, Iheanacho 4, Under 6 Subs: Fofana 6, Thomas 5, Fuchs, Maddison, Mendy

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• Leicester City, Man of the Match
  • Cengiz Under

Match Stats (H/A):

• Possession: 49 / 51
• Corners: 7 / 1
• Shots on target: 3 / 4
• Fouls: 14 / 11