Sevilla 2-1 Leicester: Vardy keeps Foxes' European dream alive

Jamie Vardy’s second half strike keeps Leicester City in with a chance of reaching the Champions League quarter finals after Sevilla dominated them but could only earn a one-goal victory.

The hosts went two up with goals from Pablo Sarabia and Joaquin Correa but Vardy cut the deficit in two and kept his team in with a fighting chance despite their clear inferiority.

Sevilla should have take the lead in the 14th minute but after Correa was tripped in the area by a clumsy Wes Morgan lunge he hit a weak penalty to Kasper Schmeichel’s right, which he dealt with easily.

Could the Leicester fairytale continue? Schmeichel was determined it would and pulled off another fine stop from Sergio Escudero when he tried to fire home from the edge of the area.

However Sevilla were charging forward at every opportunity and in the 25th minute their resistance was broken. Escudero whipped in a magnificent cross from the left and Sarabia rose to power home a wonderful header at the back post.

Stevan Jovetic nearly added a second when his shot deflected off of Robert Huth and nearly crept under the crossbar, with Schmeichel tipping it over. It would have been a fortuitous strike, but a deserved one.

Leicester came out with purpose at the start of the second half but Sevilla nearly scored on the break, when Vitolo’s strike beat Schmeichel but rebounded off the inside of the post and stayed out.

Eventually they doubled the lead in the 62nd minute with another brilliant goal, with Jovetic taking the ball into the box in the air, sucking in both Huth and Morgan, before flicking the ball to Correa who rammed home ruthlessly.

Despite being thoroughly outplayed Leicester kept the tie alive with Vardy’s away goal in the 73rd minute, fired home after Danny Drinkwater’s cross undid Sevilla’s defence for the first time.

He had endured a torrid season but scoring his first Champions League goal here may be the lifeline his team needs. It was the first strike Sevilla have conceded at home in this competition all season. 

Sevilla almost got another goal at the end when Rami’s header from a corner clipped the top of the crossbar but they head to the King Power Stadium for the second leg with a much slimmer lead than they might have taken.

The dream is not over, yet.