Southampton out of FA Cup after 1-0 semi-final loss to Leicester City

Southampton were knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup semi-final stage on Sunday evening, falling 1-0 to Leicester City at Wembley Stadium.

Leicester progress to their first FA Cup final since 1969 thanks to a Kelechi Iheanacho goal in the second half.

Iheanacho netted the winner on 55 minutes at the second time of asking after initially fluffing his lines in front of goal when strike partner Jamie Vardy expertly laid the ball off for him.

In a dour stalemate of a game, Southampton created few chances over 90 minutes to test Foxes goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and grab a vital goal to either take the lead or level the score.

Leicester didn’t have a a whole host of goalscoring opportunities either, but Saints never looked in the game.

This uneventful match was played in front of a limited Wembley crowd of 4,000 as the UK government selected the game as a test event for the eventual lifting of coronavirus restrictions for sporting events.

Brendan Rodgers’ side will take on Chelsea in the final, also at Wembley, on 15 May. On Saturday, the West London club defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the other semi-final to progress.

Leicester City (3-4-1-2): Schmeichel; Fofana, Evans, Söyüncü; Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Ricardo Pereira (Albrighton 60’); Pérez (Maddison 69’); Iheanacho, Vardy

Unused subs: Ward (GK), Amartey, Ünder, Choudhury, Mendy, Praet, Thomas

Goals: Iheanacho (55’)

Bookings: Söyüncü

Southampton (4-4-2): Forster; Walker-Peters (Tella 85’, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Bertrand (Salisu 85’); Armstrong, Diallo, Ward-Prowse, Djenepo (Walcott 73’); Redmond (Adams 59’), Ings

Unused subs: McCarthy (GK), Stephens, Ferry, Jankewitz, N’Lundulu

Goals: None

Bookings: Bednarek, Diallo