Substitute Leonardo Ulloa fires last-gasp Leicester five points clear at top

Updated 27/02/2016 at 22:14 GMT

King Power Stadium, Premier League - Leicester City 1 (Ulloa 89’) Norwich City 0

Leonardo Ulloa celebrates after scoring the first goal for Leicester City

Image credit: Reuters

Leonardo Ulloa scored in the final minute of normal time as leaders Leicester moved five points clear at the top of table with a 1-0 win over Norwich.

Leicester extended their lead at the top - at least for now - to five points, before Spurs play on Sunday.

Claudio Ranieri had given his players the week off to take advantage of last week’s FA Cup weekend, but they started sluggishly in the first half. Norwich had the best chances, harrying and chasing their opponents across the pitch.

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Leicester were so out of sorts, it took almost an hour for Jamie Vardy to have a shot, and Norwich seemed the side most likely to score. Nevertheless, a last minute goal from substitute Ulloa, sliding in at the back post.

Norwich remain in 17th place, just out of the relegation zone on goal difference, and Ranieri will breathe a sigh of relief.

Leicester City's Argentinian striker Leonardo Ulloa (R) celebrates with Leicester City's English midfielder Marc Albrighton after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Norwich City at King Power S

Image credit: AFP

TALKING POINT

Leicester City played like champions. Other sides would have taken their failure to find a way through earlier as a sign that it was not their day, but Leicester continued to probe for an opening and refused to take a draw. Ulloa’s intervention gave them a dramatic win, and one that will be added to a long list of victories that could, and perhaps should, inspire them to the title.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Leonardo Ulloa (Leicester City): The regular substitute was introduced on a day that Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater and Jamie Vardy failed to spark into action. Being a goalscoring sub is a rare talent, and Ulloa was not known for that ability. That is, until today, when he may have kept Leicester’s title challenge on track.

Leicester City's Leonardo Ulloa (L) celebrates with Kasper Schmeichel after the match

Image credit: Reuters

PLAYER RATINGS

Leicester City: Schmeichel 6, Amartey 6, Huth 6, Morgan 6, Fuchs 6, Mahrez 6, Kanté 6, Drinkwater 5, Albrighton 6, Okazaki 6, Vardy 5. SUBS: King 5, Schlupp 6, Ulloa 7.

Norwich City: Ruddy 6, Bennett 6, Martin 6, Klose 6, Pinto 5, Tettey 5, Howson 6, Brady 6, Redmond 6, Naismith 6, Jerome 6. SUBS: Mbokani 6, Bamford 6, Jarvis 6.

KEY EVENTS

38’ - JEROME HEADER - Brady takes a corner on the right wing for Norwich, swinging it in. Jerome meets it at the near post, and he glances a header just wide of the far post.

43’ - SCHMEICHEL SAVE - Redmond drills a shot at goal from a tight angle, forcing Schmeichel to get down quickly, and the ball flies off him over the line for a corner. Schmeichel is much better on the set piece, claiming it easily.

45’ - PENALTY APPEAL - Okazaki flicks on a long ball from Schmeichel, but as Vardy starts the chase, the offside flag goes up against him. At the other end, Jerome has a shot blocked. Norwich want a handball, but nothing is given as it strikes Morgan's elbow, close to his body.

58’ - VARDY FREE KICK - Vardy runs onto the free kick, passed to the right by Drinkwater, but he strikes it too close to the 'keeper.

67’ - ALBRIGHTON SHOT - From 20 yards, Albrighton’s first time shot is just saved by Ruddy.

89’ - GOAL! Leicester City 1-0 Norwich City. Ulloa scores - Mahrez releases Albrighton on the overlap. He fires in low cross that evades everyone to the back post to Albrighton, to find Ulloa sliding in to tap in.