Leicester vs QPR FA Cup Report

Scorers: Justin 9’ 63’, Mavididi 37’, Buonanotte 38’, Vardy 51’ (P), Faes 90+3’; Varane 18’, Kolli 45+2’

QPR’s defensive frailties were ruthlessly exposed as Leicester City secured a commanding 6-2 victory in the FA Cup third round.

Despite flashes of promise from the Championship side, the Premier League outfit capitalised on a series of mistakes to progress in emphatic fashion.

First Half: A Foggy Battle with Goals Galore

In thick fog at the King Power Stadium, Leicester took the lead within eight minutes. James Justin rose unmarked to head home Facundo Buonanotte’s pinpoint free-kick, giving the Foxes an ideal start.

QPR responded with resilience and were rewarded when Jonathan Varane scored his first career goal in spectacular fashion.

After Harry Winks lost possession near the edge of his penalty area, Rayan Kolli laid the ball off for Varane, who unleashed a thunderous first-time strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards out.

The visitors could have taken the lead shortly after but squandered their chances. Kolli fired over from close range after a Koki Saito pass, and his header from an Ilias Chair corner also went narrowly over.

Leicester made them pay, capitalising on two quick defensive errors to restore their advantage.

First, Harrison Ashby’s poor decision to run straight into Stephy Mavididi allowed Bilal El Khannouss to set up Mavididi, who finished clinically to make it 2-1.

Just three minutes later, Kolli’s misplaced pass handed Leicester another chance, with Buonanotte nodding in El Khannouss’ cross to extend the lead to 3-1.

Kolli redeemed himself on the stroke of halftime after Winks’ sloppy back-pass put him through on goal, calmly slotting home to pull Rangers back to 3-2.

Second Half: Leicester Take Full Control

Leicester regained their two-goal cushion just five minutes after the restart when Ashby’s handball in the box gifted Jamie Vardy a penalty. The veteran striker made no mistake from the spot, converting with ease to make it 4-2.

The visitors had fleeting moments of hope, but their defensive lapses continued to hurt them. Justin scored his second of the match, calmly finishing to seal the result for Leicester.

The night was capped in stoppage time when Wout Faes unleashed a stunning 30-yard screamer to complete the rout, leaving QPR to reflect on their defensive shortcomings.

What’s Next?

Leicester advance to the FA Cup fourth round with confidence after an impressive display, while QPR must regroup and focus on improving their defensive discipline as they return to their Championship campaign.

For more info on this game’s outcome, you may also visit:
The FA Cup qualifying rounds fixtures and results – Competitions | The FA