Leicester City midfielder Kieran Dewsbury-Hall scored two late goals to help the demoted Foxes start life in the Championship with a win over luckless Coventry City.
Last season’s beaten Championship play-off finalists appeared on course for a deserved three points when Kyle McFadzean scored from a near-post corner in the 47th minute.
Both sides of the City captain’s strike, the Gus Hamer-inspired Sky Blues squandered golden chances.
But Mark Robins’ men were punished as Dewsbury-Hall equalised on 77 minutes before being fed by new signing Stephy Mavididi to curl home the winner in the 87th minute – and secure victory for new Foxes boss Enzo Maresca in his first game in command.
Both sides opted to play four of their summer signings from the start.
Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen, midfielder Harry Winks and striker Stephy Mavididi all came in to make their debuts, as well as on-loan Manchester City defender Callum Doyle against the club where he spent last season.
The Foxes also gave young striker Kasey McAteer his first league start, while fit-again Danish defender Jannik Vestergaard made his first league appearance since February 2022.
Coventry, who had keeper Ben Wilson fit following a pre-season back injury, had three new defenders in front of him, Jay Dasilva, Bobby Thomas and Joel Latibeaudiere.
Ellis Simms started up front, while Hamer was also in the line-up despite considerable summer transfer speculation – and the Sky Blues had new record signing Haji Wright to bring off the bench.
They were much the better side from the moment Kasey Palmer’s chip went just over and he also had another shot deflected wide.
Two shots were then blocked from Simms and McFadzean in the same goalmouth skirmish from a Hamer corner just before the break.
Coventry continued to threaten from the restart and might have gone ahead through Simms, who skewed wide, before McFadzean peeled off his marker at the front post to power home Hamer’s left-wing corner.
https://youtu.be/1MT-KnYKCiM
Matty Godden, cleverly fed by Palmer, was denied by a one-handed save by Hermansen and then really should have done better from a great 50-yard ball from Hamer, but his low left-foot finish was poor – weak and well wide.
The visitors were made to pay for their profligacy when Dennis Praet crossed from the right for Dewsbury-Hall to power home an equalising header.
Coventry substitute Wright had a powerful shot deflected onto the bar by Hermansen, but Godden diverted the rebound wide, with the keeper beaten.
And, barely a minute later, Leicester went back up the other end to win it, with Dewsbury-Hall’s superb right-foot curler from 15 yards.
Who’s next?
Leicester now face two away tests – a Tuesday night EFL Cup derby at Burton Albion before next Saturday’s trip to Huddersfield.
Coventry go to Wimbledon in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night before hosting Middlesbrough, the team they beat in last season’s Championship play-off semi-finals, at the CBS Arena.
