Walsall welcomed one-time Premier League champions Leicester City to the Poundland Bescot Stadium on Tuesday evening as the teams battled it out for a potential place in Round Four of the competition.After already knocking out higher ranked opposition in Round One and Round Two, the Saddlers were looking to make it an unlikely trio as they looked to end the hopes of the Foxes.
Both sides took some time to settle into the game, as much of the early action was confined to the midfield areas as both teams saw spells on the ball without creating much that would trouble their opposition defences.
Walsall won the first corner of the contest, in the fourteenth minute, as Hamza Choudhury turned the ball behind under pressure from Connor Barrett.
The ball in from the flag-kick was good, but Conor Coady was on hand to turn the ball wide of the far post, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
The Saddlers continued to test the Leicester defences, with Ronan Maher and Barrett combining well, with the latter picking out Nathan Lowe with a good cross, who in turn crossed the ball into the area for Charlie Lakin, whose effort on goal was well denied by City shot-stopper, Danny Ward.
Leicester created their first real chance of the evening in the twenty-third minute, as Abdul Fatawu floated a cross into the box for Facundo Buonanotte, whose headed effort sailed wide of the upright, without troubling Tommy Simkin in the Walsall goal.
The visiting side continued to enjoy a brighter spell, with Odsonne Édouard firing an effort over the crossbar in the twenty-sixth minute.
Walsall were presented with another chance to open the scoring as we reached the half hour mark, with a long Harry Williams throw being flicked on by David Okagbue, with the ball falling to Lakin, who was unable to find the target from a tight angle.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the thirty-sixth minute, allowing Ryan Stirk to receive attention from the medical team following a collision, but fortunately he was soon back on his feet and play resumed.
Leicester created an opportunity to open the scoring in the forty-first minute, as Boubakary Soumare crossed the ball into the area for Edouard, but the strikers header was well saved by Simkin.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, Leicester won a their first corner of the evening, though nothing would come of the opportunity. Walsall won a flag-kick at the other moments later, but visiting side defended well.
That would be the final action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores still tied. City seeing much of the ball during the opening forty-five, but failing to create a chance that really looked likely to result in a goal, with the Saddlers looking the more likely of the two sides to break the deadlock.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway, and just ninety seconds after the restart, Walsall could have been ahead as Lowe crossed the ball to Albert Adomah inside the box, with the striker dragging his effort narrowly wide of the upright.
Leicester saw more of the ball again as the game continued, but the Walsall defences stood firm and limited their visitors to speculative efforts from distance, none of which troubled the man between the sticks.
Walsall won a free-kick in a dangerous position in the fifty-seventh minute, as Caleb Okoli fouled Maher. It was Ronan who stepped forth to take the set-piece, but his effort failed to beat the wall, causing a break in play as Okoli required the attentions of the medical team, though he was soon back on his feet and play resumed.
As we reached the hour mark, a minute of applause rang out as both sets of supporters paid a touching tribute to the late Craig Shakespeare.
Facundo Buonanotte became the first player to draw the attentions of the referee, as he was cautioned for dissent in the sixty-first minute.
Walsall chose to make the first substitution of the evening, in the sixty-sixth evening, as Charlie Lakin was replaced by Jamie Jellis.
Leicester could have opened the scoring in the sixty-seventh minute, as Buonanotte crossed the ball in for Édouard, but the strikers effort from close range was easily saved by Simkin.
That would prove to be Odsonne Édouard's final involvement of the evening, as the Foxes chose to make their first change in the sixty-ninth minute, with the striker departing as Jordan Ayew took his place.
The visiting side continued to enjoy a bright spell, with Fatawu firing goal-wards from a tight angle, in the seventieth minute, but he could only find the side-netting.
Walsall chose to make a second change to their line-up, in the seventy-first minute, with Ronan Maher making way for Taylor Allen.
Leicester continued to look the brighter of the two sides as the game continued, with Ayew heading the ball down for Fatawu moments after the change was completed, but the number seven was unable to find the target, firing wide.
Fifteen minutes from time, the Saddlers opted to make a double change, with Albert Adomah and Nathan Lowe being replaced by Danny Johnson and Jamille Matt.
City continued to search for an opener as the action resumed, with Luke Thomas finding a way in behind the Walsall defences, but Simkin was alert to the danger and turned the ball away from goal.
The Walsall shot-stopper was called into action again moments later, as Fatawu crossed the ball into the box for Buonanotte, with Simkin able to deal with the headed effort.
With around ten minutes left to play, Leicester chose to make a triple substitution, with Facundo Buonanotte, Hamza Choudhury and Bobby De Cordova-Reid making way for Bilal El Khannouss, Oliver Skipp and Kasey McAteer.
Evan Weir became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for a foul on Fatawu, in the eighty-third minute.
Walsall were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position in the eighty-fifth minute, as Coady fouled Johnson. The ball in was good, but it was a Leicester man who got a touch on it, turning it behind for a corner, which came to nothing as the visiting side eventually cleared.
Caleb Okoli joined those listed in the referee's notebook, as he was cautioned in the eighty-eighth minute.
The hosts won a late corner, as Thomas turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of the set-piece, as the visiting side were eventually able to clear the danger.
Jamie Jellis became the fourth player to see yellow, in the nintieth minute, as he was cautioned for a foul.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Liam Gordon joined those having seen their names taken by the referee, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Fatawu. The resulting free-kick providing Leicester with one final chance to take the victory, but Simkin was alert to the danger and made the save, sending the game to penalties.
Ultimately, Leicester City would advance into the fourth round, as Ricardo Pereira, Coady and Skipp all converted their penalty kicks, as Ward saved all three Walsall efforts sent his way, as Allen, Okagbue and Gordon all failed to beat the Leicester 'keeper.
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | TOM NIELD |