27/08/2016 14:00 v Leicester City

Swansea City’s poor run against Leicester City continued as Francesco Guidolin’s team went down 2-1 at the King Power Stadium.

Guidolin had urged his players to learn from their two heavy defeats against Leicester last season going into this game.

But in truth his team never really looked changing their poor recent record against the Premier League champions on a day when the bleak East Midlands weather matched the Swans’ mood.

The Swans did at least score a goal against the Foxes - something they had not managed in either game last term - when Leroy Fer headed home nine minutes from the end.

But by then the damage was done, for a dominant Leicester side had taken a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Jamie Vardy and Wes Morgan, while Lukasz Fabianski saved a Riyad Mahrez penalty. 

The Swans were under pressure in the early stages, with Guidolin's players struggling to keep hold of possession as Leicester hunted down the ball.

Federico Fernandez was booked inside 11 minutes for upending Vardy just outside the penalty box, but the Swans breathed a sigh of relief as Riyad Mahrez drilled the resulting free-kick over the crossbar.

The Foxes were much more assured on the ball, and the Swans had to work hard to keep them at bay during a difficult first period.

The visitors' first sight of goal came on 25 minutes, when Gylfi Sigurdsson led a counter-attack and exchanged passes with Wayne Routledge.

Sigurdsson took aim from 25 yards, but his dipping shot was well gathered by Kasper Schmeichel.

The Swans pressed again just after the half hour, as Llorente rolled a pass inside for Sigurdsson, but this time the Icelander's left-foot effort was easily collected by Schmeichel.

Leicester were soon back on the front foot, and the Swans were breached on 32 minutes when Danny Drinkwater lifted a ball over the top for Vardy.

The England striker's pace took him away from Jordi Amat, and his drilled half-volley whistled past Lukasz Fabianski before bouncing into the net off the post.

The Swans tried to respond, with Modou Barrow making good ground down the right before feeding Sigurdsson, whose 20-yard drive flew narrowly too high.

Barrow threatened again as half-time approached, the Swans winger leaving Christian Fuchs and Drinkwater in his wake before crossing for Routledge.

He touched the ball down towards Llorente, but Leicester scrambled clear before the Spaniard could make any contact.

And it was the hosts who had the last opportunity of the first period as Shinji Okazaki's long-ranger was beaten to safety by Fabianski.

The Swans began the second half knowing an improvement in performance level was required if they were going to get back into the contest.

Leicester had not created too many clear-cut chances in the first 45 minutes, but the home side were good value for their lead at the turnaround.

Guidolin's team actually began the second period by keeping the ball as well as they had done at any stage - but it was Leicester who scored again just seven minutes after the restart.

For the second league game in a row, the Swans were undone at a corner. After Marc Albrighton sent the ball in from the right, Wes Morgan rose with Fernandez.

Neither player made clean contact, but the ball dropped for Morgan to volley home from close range.

Things very nearly got even worse for the Swans four minutes later, when Okazaki went tumbling under Amat's challenge and referee Roger East pointed to the spot.

Mahrez stroked his spot-kick towards the bottom corner, but Fabianski leapt to his right to make a very fine save.

Guidolin turned to his bench in an attempt to change the game, sending Jefferson Montero and Ki Sung-Yueng on in place of Routledge and Sigurdsson.

Still the Swans struggled to make an impression going forward, although Montero did offer an injection of pace on the left flank.

The Ecuadorian's run and cross had Barrow interested at the back post, but Christian Fuchs nipped in to clear the danger.

Next Montero slipped a neat pass inside to Fer, but his 25-yarder sliced harmlessly wide of the target.

The Swans did give themselves hope in the closing stages when Barrow crossed from the right and Fer climbed higher than anyone to nod home his - and his team's - second league goal of the season.

Leicester's sub keeper, Ron-Robert Zieler, had come on after Schmeichel felt his hamstring, but he had no chance to repel Fer's fine header.

The Swans piled forward in the closing stages in search of an equaliser but, despite some late home nerves, it was Leicester who took the points.

 

LEICESTER: Kasper Schmeichel (Ron-Robert Zieler 57), Danny Simpson, Robert Huth, Wes Morgan (capt), Christian Fuchs, Riyad Mahrez, Daniel Amartey, Danny Drinkwater, Marc Albrighton (Ahmed Musa 74), Shinji Okazaki (Leonardo Ulloa 80), Jamie Vardy.
SUBS: Luis Hernandez, Ben Chigwell, Andy King, Demarai Gray.

SWANS: Lukasz Fabianski, Kyle Naughton, Federico Fernandez, Jordi Amat, Stephen Kingsley, Jack Cork (capt, Oli McBurnie 86), Leroy Fer, Gylfi Sigurdsson (Ki Sung-Yueng 59), Modou Barrow, Wayne Routledge (Jefferson Montero 59), Fernando Llorente.
SUBS: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Angel Rangel, Mike van der Hoorn, Jay Fulton.