Leicester finally end goal drought against Brighton to snap long losing run

Beleaguered Leicester scored for the first time in nine Premier League games and snapped an eight-match losing run by battling to a thrilling 2-2 draw away to Brighton.

Caleb Okoli’s maiden goal in English football earned the Foxes a deserved point at the Amex Stadium after Stephy Mavididi registered the club’s first top-flight goal in 798 minutes of action with a first-half equaliser.

Joao Pedro converted a pair of VAR-awarded penalties to twice put Brighton in front.

But the ninth-placed Seagulls, whose pursuit of European qualification suffered another setback following successive defeats, paid a heavy price for failing to capitalise on a host of other chances and could easily have lost.

Leicester dominated the closing stages and hit a post through Bilal El Khannouss three minutes from time.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s second-bottom side sit 14 points from safety with only 18 left to play for but the result means they cannot be relegated this weekend.

Under-pressure boss Van Nistelrooy vowed to fight on ahead of the trip to the south coast.

The Dutchman recalled Okoli and Mavididi as part of three changes from the side which started Monday’s limp 3-0 loss to Newcastle, while Yasin Ayari, Simon Adingra and Pedro came into the Brighton team beaten 2-1 at bitter rivals Crystal Palace.

Yankuba Minteh wastefully fired into the side-netting and Adingra was denied by Foxes goalkeeper Mads Hermansen as Brighton caused plenty of problems in the opening stages.

Leicester looked shaky defensively but remained a threat on the counter-attack.

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Lively forward Mavididi, who had an early effort blocked by makeshift Seagulls centre-back Carlos Baleba, went close with another good opening, before the visitors’ back-line was breached in the 31st minute.

Foxes defender Conor Coady repelled Adingra’s goal-bound effort with his left arm inside the six-yard box and, following a VAR check, Pedro sent Hermansen the wrong way to find the bottom-left corner from the spot.

Albion captain Lewis Dunk then produced a superb block to deny Luke Thomas a leveller.

But, after Adingra clipped the top of Leicester’s crossbar, Dunk was at fault when the away side did hit back seven minutes before the break.

The centre-back miscontrolled the ball in the centre circle, allowing El Khannouss, who scored Leicester’s previous goal – the winner in a 2-1 success at Tottenham on January 26 – to burst clear and slip in Mavididi, who rifled a low shot through Bart Verbruggen after his initial cross was blocked.

Pedro flashed wide and Matt O’Riley rattled the base of the right post as Brighton sought to regain their advantage.

At the other end, Verbruggen was required to tip Kasey McAteer’s header from a Thomas free-kick over the crossbar.

Brighton regained the lead 10 minutes after the restart.

O’Riley was dragged back by Thomas in the box and, following another VAR intervention, Pedro confidently dispatched the ball into the top-right corner.

Van Nistelrooy responded with a triple change and, after substitute Patson Daka forced a fine save out of Verbruggen, saw his side level for a second time.

El Khannouss delivered a delightful free-kick from wide on the right and Italian defender Okoli escaped the Brighton defence to find the net with a diving header.

Leicester were in the ascendancy and very nearly stunned the home crowd further.

El Khannouss curled against the woodwork three minutes from time and Mavididi’s deflected effort flashed wide moments later before the home team were booed off.

PA