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Vardy strikes as promotion chasing Leicester end losing run

football05 March 2024 21:30| © Reuters
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Jamie Vardy put Leicester's promotion bid back on track as the former England striker fired the Championship leaders to a 1-0 win at Sunderland on Tuesday.

Vardy's first-half header was followed by a crucial save from Mads Hermansen to deny Trai Hume a spectacular equaliser.

Beaten in their previous three games, Enzo Maresca's side are back on course for an immediate return to the Premier League following last season's relegation.

That losing run had allowed the chasing pack to close the gap on Leicester and put their hopes of automatic promotion via a top two finish in jeopardy.

But Maresca's response to Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by QPR was to restore Vardy to the starting line-up.

And it proved an inspired move as the 37-year-old's 13th goal this season condemned Sunderland to a fifth successive defeat.

"A very important victory, especially after three defeats. We won the game in an ugly way," Maresca said.

"It is important, winning games in this way. It is part of the process to improve as a team.

"In the second half, we were a little bit tired. Day by day, I am more in love with the team."

Leicester are three points ahead of second-placed Ipswich, who staged a thrilling fightback to beat Bristol City 3-2 at Portman Road.

All five goals came in a frantic second half, with City taking the lead through Anis Mehmeti only for substitute Ali Al-Hamadi to equalise.

Tommy Conway's header put City back in front but Conor Chaplin drew the teams level with a header from a free-kick by Leif Davis.

Al-Hamadi had a penalty saved by Max O'Leary in the final minutes, but Ipswich still made it six successive league wins when Davis's strike deflected home in stoppage time.

"Nothing surprises me, that was the best bit of the comeback," Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna said.

"They missed the penalty and you think it's not going to be our night. Our players don't think like that."

LEEDS IN PROMOTIONAL CHASE

Dan James' first-half strike gave third-placed Leeds a 1-0 victory over lowly Stoke at Elland Road.

After former Manchester United winger James bagged his 11th goal of the season, Illan Meslier had to make good saves from Lewis Baker, Tyrese Campbell and Josh Laurent to preserve the hosts' advantage.

Daniel Farke's team are two points behind Ipswich with 10 games left in the promotion race.

Ellis Simms blasted a first-half hat-trick as Coventry routed bottom of the table Rotherham 5-0 at the CBS Arena.

Joel Latibeaudiere and Fabio Tavares also scored for eight-placed Coventry, who bounced back from successive defeats against Preston and West Brom.

Struggling Birmingham rescued a 1-1 draw at Hull thanks to Lukas Jutkiewicz's 82nd-minute header.

Ozan Tufan had headed sixth-placed Hull into the lead in the first half.

Birmingham, still without unwell manager Tony Mowbray, sit one point above the relegation zone.

Sammie Szmodics salvaged a point for Blackburn with his 20th league goal of the season in a 1-1 draw against fellow strugglers Millwall at Ewood Park.

Szmodics pounced on a defensive error to equalise after Millwall substitute Michael Obafemi had lashed the Lions in front early in the second half.

Sheffield Wednesday's survival bid gathered momentum as Djeidi Gassama's second-half strike clinched a 1-0 home win over Plymouth.

Third-bottom Wednesday have won five of their last six league matches, with eight teams now separated by just two points in the fight for survival.

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