Vardy scores on EPL return as Leicester hold Tottenham

LONDON, England (AP)

Jamie Vardy still knows how to score in the English Premier League (EPL).

The 37-year-old striker rescued a point for Leicester in their return to the Premier League yesterday by heading home a second-half equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, who had largely dominated the first half.

Tottenham had plenty of opportunities to build a bigger lead but new signing Dominic Solanke was among those guilty of missing chances.

Instead it was Spanish defender Pedro Porro who made Tottenham’s early superiority count after 29 minutes when he got between two Leicester defenders to head James Maddison’s cross into the net at the far post.

But Vardy, who was key to Leicester’s stunning Premier League title win in 2016 and has remained with the club since then, was left unmarked to head home an equaliser.

A corner count of 9-0 gave some indication of Spurs’ dominance in the first half but Vardy’s goal changed the game completely.

Steve Cooper’s team suddenly looked a lot livelier and both teams had chances to win in a busy last half hour.

“Tottenham are a really good team but we gave them too much respect, and we started getting after them and it changed the momentum,” Vardy told Sky Sports.

‘Disappointing night’

Vardy spurned a good chance in the 70th minute when he was able to run clear on goal but his low shot was saved by Guglielmo Vicario. At the other end, Richarlison sent a header wide deep into injury time with the last chance of the match.

“It is a disappointing night for us,” Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said. “We need to be more ruthless in front of goal. We were that dominant, we should have been well away from the opposition. To be that wasteful tonight when we had so much of the ball and territory, it is disappointing.”

The game was halted for eight minutes late in the second half after Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur sustained a head injury. The Uruguayan received oxygen and was taken off on a stretcher, but Postecoglou said he was “conscious and communicating”.