Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi played a pivotal role in Leicester City dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Southampton.
Ndidi who was part of the Super Eagles squad that were subjected to inhumane treatment in Libya returned to action for the Foxes in Saturday’s Premier League.
After a remarkable turnaround, Jordan Ayew’s added-time goal sealed Leicester’s 3-2 comeback victory over 10-man Southampton.
Eight minutes into stoppage time, Facundo Buonanotte and Jamie Vardy’s penalty launch an amazing comeback, and substitute Ayew hammered home a low corner for Harry Winks.
Joe Aribo and Cameron Archer’s goals had given the hosts hope for their first Premier League triumph of the year.
Nevertheless, the turnaround in the second half puts further pressure on manager Russell Martin, as Saints have now played 21 games without a top-flight victory, a club record.
The omens were not in their favour; they had lost to the Foxes 4-1 and 5-0 in the Championship the previous season, and Leicester manager Steve Cooper had a 9-2 overall record against Martin from their two prior meetings.
Their most recent Premier League victory came against Leicester. But the home team defied the odds, hitting the crossbar through Aribo in the fifth minute and winning three minutes later.
For the second straight game, Archer found the back of the net, but Flynn Downes’ swiftly taken free kick set up the goal.
Kyle Walker-Peters then marched forward, feeding Ryan Manning, who slid across for the former Sheffield United striker to finish.
Wilfred Ndidi and James Justin flicked and headed at corners, but Aribo extended the lead—the first time Saints had scored twice in the league this season—making it more difficult for them to get back into the game.
Walker-Peters scored his first goal of the season after beating Justin down the left and centring for the Nigerian.
Along with captain Vardy heading onto the top of the net and Bilal El Khannouss curling an effort against the inside of the post, midfielder Downes nearly slipped a volley between Mads Hermansen’s knees.
With Wout Faes forcing an incredible save from his own custodian and Tyler Dibling cutting in to force a low stop from Hermansen, Saints got off to a solid start in the second half.
However, the Foxes detected jitters at the hour mark and launched a counterattack.
In the 64th minute, Buonanotte’s header from a lively substitute named Abdul Fatawu gave the visitors a goal back.
Fatawu advanced down the right and deftly hoisted a cross over Aaron Ramsdale.
Then, Fatawu skimmed the underside of the bar before sprinting into the box and forcing Ramsdale to make an incredible one-handed stop.
Fraser grabbed Vardy’s shirt as he tried to drive in the rebound; as a result, the home player was sent off and a penalty was given following a VAR intervention.
Vardy scored his third goal of the year, his thirteenth goal overall against Saints, and his seventh goal at St Mary’s with a strong conversion.
The comeback was completed a minute after the seven minutes of extra time were indicated, when Winks discovered Ayew unmarked on the box’s edge and the forward shot into the bottom corner.
When the final whistle blew, Southampton’s players were left stunned in the middle of the ground as boos erupted from the away end.
