Leicester City have taken another step towards securing their promotion to the Premier League, as they beat Sunderland 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night. The Foxes, who have been leading the Championship table for most of the season, ended their three-game losing streak with a crucial win, thanks to a second-half goal from Jamie Vardy.
Vardy strikes again for the Foxes
The only goal of the game came in the 66th minute, when Vardy latched onto a long ball from Danny Drinkwater and slotted it past Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge. It was Vardy’s 25th goal of the season, making him the top scorer in the Championship. The former Fleetwood Town striker, who joined Leicester in 2012 for a record fee of £1 million, has been instrumental in the Foxes’ promotion campaign, scoring crucial goals against rivals such as Ipswich, Burnley and QPR.
Sunderland miss chances to equalize
Sunderland, who are fighting to avoid relegation, had several opportunities to level the score, but failed to convert them. The Black Cats’ best chance came in the 77th minute, when Connor Wickham headed a cross from Adam Johnson onto the post. Johnson, who was making his return from a six-week suspension for breaching betting rules, also tested Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel with a long-range shot, but the Danish international made a fine save. Sunderland manager Gus Poyet, who was facing his former club, was frustrated with his team’s lack of finishing. “We had enough chances to get something from the game, but we didn’t take them. We need to be more clinical in front of goal, because we are running out of games,” he said.
Leicester maintain three-point lead at the top
The win means that Leicester remain three points clear of second-placed Ipswich Town, who also won their game against Reading 2-1. The Tractor Boys, who are managed by former Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy, scored two late goals from David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy to snatch a dramatic victory at the Madejski Stadium. Reading, who are in the play-off zone, had taken the lead through Pavel Pogrebnyak in the first half.
The other team in the automatic promotion places, Burnley, also secured a win, as they beat Barnsley 3-1 at Turf Moor. The Clarets, who have the best defensive record in the league, scored three goals in the first half, courtesy of Sam Vokes, Michael Kightly and Scott Arfield. Barnsley, who are bottom of the table, pulled one back through Tomasz Cywka in the second half, but it was not enough to prevent their 21st defeat of the season.
The promotion race heats up
With only nine games left in the season, the promotion race is heating up, as the top three teams are separated by only four points. Leicester, who have 78 points, have a game in hand over Ipswich and Burnley, who have 75 and 74 points respectively. The Foxes, who have not played in the Premier League since 2004, are looking to end their 10-year absence from the top flight, and have a favourable run-in, with only two of their remaining fixtures against teams in the top half of the table. Ipswich, who have not been in the Premier League since 2002, are hoping to return to the elite under McCarthy, who guided Sunderland and Wolves to promotion in the past. Burnley, who were relegated from the Premier League in 2010, are aiming to bounce back under Sean Dyche, who has transformed the club’s fortunes since taking over in 2012.
The other teams in the play-off zone, QPR, Derby and Reading, are also in contention for promotion, as they are within six points of the top three. QPR, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, have the most experienced squad in the league, with players such as Joey Barton, Niko Kranjcar and Bobby Zamora. Derby, who have the best attacking record in the league, have been impressive under Steve McClaren, who took over in September. Reading, who were also relegated from the Premier League last season, have a balanced team, with players such as Alex Pearce, Danny Guthrie and Adam Le Fondre.
The promotion race is set to go down to the wire, as the teams battle for the coveted spots in the Premier League, which is worth an estimated £120 million in revenue and exposure. The fans, the players and the managers are all eager to reach the promised land of English football, and the next few weeks will be crucial in determining who will make it.
