The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Leicester’s Shinji Okazaki battles with FC Copenhagen’s Thomas Delaney in last night’s 0-0 Champions League Group G draw.
Foxes kept waiting, but still in strong position to advance
FC COPENHAGEN 0 LEICESTER CITY 0
Leicester missed the chance to seal qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League after a forgettable 0-0 draw in Copenhagen.
The Foxes never got going in Denmark and the hosts failed to take advantage to leave their own hopes of reaching the last 16 in doubt.
Kasper Schmeichel ensured the visitors escaped with a point when he produced a fine last-minute save from Andreas Cornelius, while Christian Fuchs cleared Benjamin Verbic’s effort off the line with Leicester yet to concede in the competition this season.
Porto’s 1-0 win over Club Brugge meant only a win would send the Foxes through but they lacked imagination in a sloppy, if gritty, performance as their 100% record in Europe ended.
Claudio Ranieri’s side still top Group G by three points ahead of Porto and will be expected to qualify for the last 16 when they host rock bottom Brugge in three weeks.
Copenhagen, unbeaten in 30 games at Parken in all competitions, bossed the majority of the game as Ranieri’s tinkering backfired in the first half.
The Foxes began with three at the back, recalling defender Luis Hernandez, but never got to grips with the game as the Danish champions dominated.
As an attacking force Leicester were non-existent but coped well enough with muted pressure from the hosts.
Riyad Mahrez was shackled, while Ahmed Musa failed to make an impact and even a tactical switch of moving Mahrez inside behind Jamie Vardy, who has not scored in 12 appearances, failed to spark the visitors.