Plymouth Argyle dealt Championship leaders Leicester Metropolis’s computerized promotion hopes a blow and gave their very own survival hopes an enormous increase with a 1-0 victory at Residence Park.
Having been outplayed for the primary 20 minutes Argyle took the lead when Mustapha Bundu ended a wonderful counter-attack with a peaceful right-footed end.
Leicester’s Patson Daka had two incredible probabilities to equalise within the first 20 minutes of the second half however the hosts doggedly saved out a Foxes aspect that grew more and more annoyed.
Argyle keeper Michael Cooper did effectively to disclaim substitute Jamie Vardy within the 87th minute because the guests failed to show late stress right into a purpose.
![Leicester players](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/4F31/production/_133137202_leicesterpistlossrex.jpg)
The loss for the Foxes – a second successive away defeat after Tuesday’s loss at Millwall – means they keep on 88 factors on the high of the desk.
They’re degree on factors with Ipswich City and one forward of Leeds united and either side have probabilities to go above the Foxes on Saturday as Leeds host Blackburn and Ipswich welcome Middlesbrough.
Argyle have now gone unbeaten in all three video games since Ian Foster was sacked as head coach, taking seven factors out of 9.
The win sees Plymouth – below the momentary management of director of soccer Neil Dewsnip and first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell – transfer up from twentieth to sixteenth and places them 5 factors away from the relegation zone.
Leicester – who earlier within the day discovered they wouldn’t face a factors deduction this season over monetary points – confirmed their intent early on as Daka had a sixth-minute strike dominated out for offside earlier than Ricardo Pereira compelled an excellent save from Cooper after a neat one-two with Wilfried Ndidi two minutes later.
The Foxes dominated the possession, however it was Argyle who took the lead when two of 5 gamers recalled to the aspect after Tuesday’s draw with QPR linked up.
Adam Forshaw’s very good move from midfield sprung Bundu down the left wing and the Sierra Leone ahead reduce inside and located the underside nook as Wout Faes stood off him.
Leicester continued to dominate the ball and Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor and Harry Winks went shut from lengthy vary, however they struggled to show their possession into significant probabilities.
And as Residence Park’s noise ranges rose, the hosts might have gone additional forward 5 minutes earlier than the break as Morgan Whittaker and the spectacular Forshaw performed a neat one-two on the sting of the field earlier than the previous blasted his effort excessive over the bar.
The hosts began the second interval with the next depth as they upped the stress on the Foxes – however it was Leicester who ought to have equalised 10 minutes into the half as Daka someway scuffed huge from shut vary after Abdul Fatawu had received to the byeline down the precise.
Substitute Dennis Praet headed over for the guests quickly after earlier than Daka missed one other very good probability as he sliced huge on the far publish from 4 yards out after a Praet flick-on.
Leicester had been encamped within the dwelling half for lengthy durations, however failed to seek out the decisive move because the hosts put their our bodies on the road and compelled the Foxes into errors.
Vardy had one of the best effort late on as he was put by way of however Cooper confronted off his line to smother the previous England striker as Argyle held on for a memorable victory that was deafeningly welcomed by their followers, who now really feel they might effectively keep up after the turbulent three months of Foster’s reign which noticed them fall down the desk.
Plymouth Argyle director of soccer Neil Dewsnip instructed BBC Sport:
“I am delighted. We knew precisely how tough it was going to be.
“We knew we had been going to play in opposition to an impressive soccer workforce in possession of the ball, however we had a sport plan and fortunately it is paid off.
“It was our evening, and I am delighted for our gamers, they labored extremely onerous, tougher than they in all probability realised they might.
“We all know it is not achieved but, so we’ll work actually onerous within the subsequent three video games to get extra factors.”
Leicester Metropolis supervisor Enzo Maresca instructed BBC Sport:
“It has been a troublesome week, two defeats in a row that we did not count on.
“We’re upset, the one good factor is thankfully it stays in our palms
“We have to take our probabilities to win our video games.
“At this second we’re struggling to attain objectives however we have created probabilities contained in the six-yard field, within the field, exterior the field.
“Tonight was one of many video games it that it did not matter which means, we wanted to win the sport
“However the constructive factor is it is nonetheless in our palms within the final 4 video games.”
Line-ups
Plymouth
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Cooper
- 5Pleguezuelo
- 6Scarr
- 22Galloway
- 2Mumba
- 27ForshawBooked at 41minsSubstituted forHoughtonat 71′minutes
- 20Randell
- 14MillerBooked at 30minsSubstituted forEdwardsat 34′minutes
- 10WhittakerBooked at 50mins
- 15BunduSubstituted forGibsonat 63′minutes
- 9HardieBooked at 49minsSubstituted forWaineat 71′minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 4Houghton
- 8Edwards
- 11Wright
- 16Devine
- 17Gibson
- 21Hazard
- 23Waine
- 26Phillips
- 35Issaka
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 30Hermansen
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 3Faes
- 23VestergaardBooked at 69mins
- 2Justin
- 8Winks
- 25NdidiBooked at 45minsSubstituted forPraetat 54′minutes
- 18Fatawu
- 22Dewsbury-Corridor
- 10Mavididi
- 20DakaSubstituted forVardyat 67′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Coady
- 5Doyle
- 9Vardy
- 17Choudhury
- 26Praet
- 28Cannon
- 29Akgün
- 41Stolarczyk
- 45Nelson
- Referee:
- Robert Jones
- Attendance:
- 16,861
Stay Textual content
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Match ends, Plymouth Argyle 1, Leicester Metropolis 0.
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Second Half ends, Plymouth Argyle 1, Leicester Metropolis 0.
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Foul by Abdul Fatawu (Leicester Metropolis).
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Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
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Foul by Abdul Fatawu (Leicester Metropolis).
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Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
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Try missed. Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester Metropolis) header from the centre of the field misses to the precise. Assisted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor with a cross following a nook.
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Nook, Leicester Metropolis. Conceded by Julio Pleguezuelo.
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Ben Waine (Plymouth Argyle) is proven the yellow card for a nasty foul.
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Harry Winks (Leicester Metropolis) wins a free kick within the attacking half.
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Foul by Ben Waine (Plymouth Argyle).
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Abdul Fatawu (Leicester Metropolis) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
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Foul by Ben Waine (Plymouth Argyle).
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Try missed. Harry Winks (Leicester Metropolis) left footed shot from exterior the field misses to the precise following a nook.
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Nook, Leicester Metropolis. Conceded by Adam Randell.
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Try blocked. Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor (Leicester Metropolis) left footed shot from the left aspect of the field is blocked. Assisted by Stephy Mavididi.
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Try saved. Jamie Vardy (Leicester Metropolis) left footed shot from the centre of the field is saved within the centre of the purpose. Assisted by Stephy Mavididi.
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Delay over. They’re able to proceed.
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Delay in match due to an damage Julio Pleguezuelo (Plymouth Argyle).
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Nook, Leicester Metropolis. Conceded by Julio Pleguezuelo.