Abdul Fatawu smashed home a last-minute volley to seal Leicester City’s 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion at King Power Stadium.
Leicester needed grit, discipline and a touch of late magic and Fatawu delivered it in stoppage time to push the Foxes up to 12th in the Sky Bet Championship, just four points off the play-offs.
Early on, the home side struck first. Moving through the gears down the right flank, the Foxes combined with slick precision.
Jordan James picked out Ricardo Pereira, marking his 200th appearance. From there, the ball moved sharply from Ricardo to Bobby De Cordova-Reid, then Fatawu bursting into space and sliding James in behind.
With the angle narrowing fast, James opted for vision over power, squaring across goal for Jordan Ayew, and the Ghanaian swept home a tidy finish for his fifth goal of the campaign.
However, West Brom refused to sit back. As the momentum shifted, Ricardo produced a crucial defensive scramble, first beating Karlan Grant to a header, then racing across the line to prevent Mikey Johnston’s effort from creeping in.
But eventually, the pressure told. On 34 minutes, Alex Mowatt threaded a pass wide to Grant, who powered forward before drilling a fierce drive into the far corner to level the match.
Suddenly, the contest opened up. The Baggies almost flipped the score before the break when Mowatt flashed a strike across goal, while Leicester continued to look dangerous on the break.
After half-time, the visitors came out flying. They dictated tempo, pushed lines higher and forced Leicester back.
Jakub Stolarczyk became the key figure, producing fingertip heroics to turn Isaac Price’s thunderous shot onto the post and later reacting brilliantly to deny Aune Heggebo from close range.
When George Campbell powered a header toward the bottom corner, Stolarczyk was there again, diving low to keep Leicester alive.
Still, Leicester stayed in the fight. Ben Nelson skimmed a header wide from a James corner, while James himself volleyed over as the Foxes tried to regain momentum.
And then, just as it looked like Leicester would have to settle for a draw, they broke forward again. Deep into stoppage time, substitute Stephy Mavididi whipped in a teasing delivery.
Fatawu, composed like a forward in full control, met it sweetly, side-footing a perfect volley beyond Josh Griffiths to spark celebrations and break West Brom hearts.
With Emirates FA Cup duty next at Cheltenham Town, Leicester head into the weekend not just with points; but with belief, resilience and a sense that momentum may finally be shifting their way.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
