Cifuentes' Foxes Fight Back On Opening Day

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Cifuentes' Foxes Fight Back On Opening Day

We battled back from behind against a spirited Sheffield Wednesday side to seal a 2-1 victory on the opening weekend of the Sky Bet Championship season.

2025-08-10T18:53+01:00

by Sam Stevens

Published

10 Aug, 2025

from King Power Stadium

Cifuentes' Foxes Fight Back On Opening Day

We battled back from behind against a spirited Sheffield Wednesday side to seal a 2-1 victory on the opening weekend of the Sky Bet Championship season.

Sam Stevens

2025-08-10T18:53+01:00

Cifuentes' Foxes Fight Back On Opening Day

We battled back from behind against a spirited Sheffield Wednesday side to seal a 2-1 victory on the opening weekend of the Sky Bet Championship season.

Sam Stevens

2025-08-10T18:53+01:00

Cifuentes' Foxes Fight Back On Opening Day

We battled back from behind against a spirited Sheffield Wednesday side to seal a 2-1 victory on the opening weekend of the Sky Bet Championship season.

Sam Stevens

2025-08-10T18:53+01:00

Cifuentes' Foxes Fight Back On Opening Day

We battled back from behind against a spirited Sheffield Wednesday side to seal a 2-1 victory on the opening weekend of the Sky Bet Championship season.

Sam Stevens

2025-08-10T18:53+01:00

Nathaniel Chalobah’s deflected 26th-minute strike gave the visitors from south Yorkshire a surprise lead on Filbert Way, and it took time for the Foxes to battle their way back.

In Martí Cifuentes’ first competitive game in charge, after a positive summer under the new Manager, patience was the order of the day. Nine minutes after the break, Jannik Vestergaard levelled from close-range, although it would take until the 87th minute for substitute Wout Faes to nod City in front and complete the comeback.

First-half frustration

There was optimism around LE2 before kick-off. A hearty rendition of When You’re Smiling was a reminder of what this Club means to the Blue Army, who take that walk down Filbert Way, or indeed navigate the motorways up and down the country every weekend. Cifuentes was eager to thank them for their support too, taking a pre-match lap of the pitch to applaud all four corners before a ball was even kicked on his debut.

It was indeed City who initially started brightest, with Luke Thomas testing goalkeeper Pierce Charles and Abdul Fatawu powering over from distance. The visitors, though, had a point to prove. When Chalobah drove into the box, the slightest of fingertip touches from Jakub Stolarczyk – our new No.1 – was needed to divert it onto the post.

Fatawu went close again, Charles saving well, while Bilal El Khannouss also launched a low rocket inches wide from the edge of the Wednesday box. Midway through the half, however, Henrik Pedersen’s visitors were in front, Chalobah the architect, although the former Watford man benefited from a deflection to beat Stolarczyk.

Working back

Into the second period, with Harry Winks off the bench, replacing Oliver Skipp, Leicester had to keep cool heads to work through a resolute defensive block.

Although Bailey Cadamarteri’s curler had some Foxes fans worried minutes after the restart, it took Cifuentes’ men just seven minutes to get back on level terms. El Khannouss’ free-kick, from the right channel, was low and seemed to lack power – but it was precise, threaded through the bodies to a man in blue.

It trickled through the Owls’ penalty area and nestled into Vestergaard’s feet. The Dane took a touch, then shifted it onto his right foot in a congested box, before planting his boot through it to give us a route back. It felt like the spark to ignite a rapid reversal of fortunes, but Wednesday again fought hard to protect at least point.

Faes’ late winner

It seemed like it could become one of those afternoons for City. The chances were coming but there was no way through as Wednesday dug their heels in. Stephy Mavididi was unfortunate when Charles scampered across his line to save well at the near post. Thomas and Winks both arrowed over from outside the area too.

The tipping point, mind you, came with 13 minutes of normal time to play. A second yellow card for Barry Bannan made the fight to cling on even harder for Pedersen’s outfit. 'Keeper Charles was determined to do all he could to keep Leicester at bay, hurling himself to his right to thwart substitute Patson Daka’s point-blank header.

There was lift off, at last, in the 87th minute – El Khannouss’ corner bulleted past Charles off Faes’ head to make it a winning start for Cifuentes on Filbert Way. Ayew and El Khannouss could have extended the lead in added time, but three points, by whatever means, will do nicely to get this 25/26 Championship campaign up and running.

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