LEICESTER, United Kingdom: Leicester’s bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League hit a historic low as Brentford cruised to a 4-0 win at the King Power Stadium on Friday.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side would have moved out of the relegation zone with a victory, but instead they remain two points from safety.
Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard all scored for Brentford in a wretched first half for second-bottom Leicester.
Fabio Carvalho netted in the closing stages and the Foxes were booed off after a 10th defeat in their last 11 league games that added to the pressure on the under-fire Van Nistelrooy.
Underlining the depth of their struggles, Leicester made unwanted history as the first team in the Premier League era to lose six successive home games without scoring in any of them.
With just 12 games left to avoid a relegation, Leicester are in severe danger of an immediate return to the Championship.
Enzo Maresca quit to take charge of Chelsea after masterminding Leicester’s promotion last season and the club’s Thai owners have failed to find an adequate replacement for the Italian.
Steve Cooper was sacked after just five months in charge and former Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy has fared no better.
Leicester have won just four of their 26 league games this season, with Van Nistelrooy contributing only two of those victories in 15 matches.
Van Nistelrooy was waiting to officially take charge of Leicester when they were thrashed at Brentford while he watched from the stands in November.
If he could be forgiven for the result on that occasion, there were no excuses for the Dutchman this time.
Jamie Vardy needs two goals to reach 200 in all competitions for Leicester and the veteran striker nearly moved closer to that milestone in the opening moments.
Bursting into the Brentford area, Vardy was denied from by Mark Flekken’s fine save.
But Wissa’s 13th goal this season put 10th-placed Brentford ahead at the climax of an eye-catching raid in the 17th minute.
Kevin Schade’s back-heel reached Mikkel Damsgaard on the edge of the area and he clipped a perfect pass toward Wissa, whose close-range strike bounced awkwardly past wrong-footed Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen.
Brentford’s quality on the counter was too much for Van Nistelrooy’s men to handle.
In the 27th minute, Mbeumo took Damsgaard’s pass on the right flank, cut into the area and curled a superb shot into the far corner for his 15th goal this term.
Leicester were in disarray and Norgaard effectively ended the contest after just 32 minutes.
Mbeumo whipped a free-kick into the six-yard box and Leicester were too slow to respond as Norgaard rose to thump his header past Hermansen.
That was the signal for hundreds of disgruntled Leicester fans to head for the exits.
Those that stayed saw Kristoffer Ajer’s effort cannon off the post as Brentford pushed for a fourth.
Thomas Frank’s side rubbed salt into Leicester’s gaping wounds in the 89th minute when Carvalho slotted home from Mbeumo’s pass.
Leicester hit historic low in Brentford rout
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Leicester hit historic low in Brentford rout
- Leicester made unwanted history as the first team in the Premier League era to lose six successive home games without scoring
Osimhen steers Nigeria into Africa Cup knockout stage, Senegal made to wait
- Nigeria is assured of its place in the last 16 with a maximum six points in Group C
- After two games, Senegal leads Group D with four points, ahead of Congo on goal difference
RABAT, Morocco: Victor Osimhen scored a rare Africa Cup of Nations goal and Nigeria booked its place in the knockout stage with an ultimately nervy 3-2 win over Tunisia on Saturday.
The Super Eagles almost squandered a three-goal lead as Montassar Talbi pulled a goal back in the 74th minute and Ali Abdi converted a penalty in the 87th.
Osimhen missed two good chances with headers early on as the Nigeria made a good start, but he finally made one count before the break with a header to Ademola Lookman’s cross.
It was just Osimhen’s second Africa Cup goal in his career.
Nigeria was cruising after the break when Lookman set up Wilfred Ndidi for the second goal, then Osimhen set up Lookman in the 67th.
The Carthage Eagles somehow found a way back and threatened an unlikely comeback after Bright Osayi-Samuel was penalized for handball after a VAR check. Talbi scored the penalty and fans in the Complexe Sportif de Fès set off flares in delight.
Tunisia captain Ferjani Sassi headed just wide in stoppage time and the Nigeria players ultimately showed enough experience to see out the win.
Nigeria is assured of its place in the last 16 with a maximum six points in Group C, three ahead of Tunisia while Tanzania and Uganda have a point each.
The top two progress automatically to the last 16, along with the best third-place finishers.
East Africa derby
Uganda and Tanzania – two of the three co-hosts of the next tournament with Kenya – drew 1-1 in a frenetic early Group C game, a result that did little for either after opening losses.
Uganda’s Allan Okello missed the chance to win the game when he struck a penalty well over in stoppage time, after a rain deluge had drenched the players and sent fans scampering for cover.
Tanzania’s Simon Msuva put the Taifa Stars ahead with a penalty early in the second half, then Uche Ikpeazu equalized with a diving header late, just three minutes after going on as a substitute. That goal prompted the heavens to open, adding to the chaos of the final minutes as both sides pushed for a win to boost their hopes of progress.
Senegal’s new star
The 17-year-old French-born Ibrahim Mbaye rejuvenated his team and provided the impetus for Sadio Mané to score in a 1-1 draw with Congo.
Senegal dominated possession and chances with Nicolas Jackson and Mané again missing good opportunities, as they did in the opening win against Botswana.
Cédric Bakambu pounced on the rebound to open the scoring for Congo in the 61st after Édouard Mendy had saved Théo Bongonda’s initial shot.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw reacted by sending on Mbaye and the 17-year-old made an immediate impact, though not before Bongonda could have made it 2-0 on a break.
Mbaye ran at the Congolese defenders and had an effort saved by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, with Mané tucking away the rebound to level in the 69th.
“We are not completely unhappy as the AFCON is always tough,” Mané said. “It was a tough match and in this competition you cannot underrate any team.”
Mbaye was left free when Congo defender Arthur Masuaku pulled up with what looked like an Achilles injury. Masuaku was unable to continue, but Mbaye, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, could get more opportunities to shine against Benin in Senegal’s final group game.
Earlier, Yohan Roche’s first-half strike was enough for Benin to beat Botswana 1-0 for its first ever Africa Cup win.
“It is a source of immense pride,” Roche said. “We were aware of the people’s expectations, and we managed to stay focused.”
After two games, Senegal leads Group D with four points, ahead of Congo on goal difference, with Benin third on three, followed by Botswana with none.
