Following a somewhat difficult few weeks in the Barclays Premier League, Leicester City switched their attention to the FA Cup and their Third Round opponents Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
Travelling to White Hart Lane, Claudio Ranieri's Foxes had not netted in three consecutive league games so a difficult test always looked on the cards for the Midlands side. However, with them still sitting second in the top-flight, they had their sights firmly set on eliminating their North-London opponents for the second consecutive campaign.
Team news
As expected, both managers rung the changes for the clash. With Ranieri and Mauricio Pochettino making eight and seven changes respectively, some might have thought that the two teams' focus was purely on the Premier League. However, both teams still had strong sides out on the pitch.
Coming in for his full Leicester City debut (following his recent move from Birmingham City), Demarai Gray joined the talented youngster Ben Chilwell on the left-hand side. Also calling upon Andy King, Gokhan Inler, Ritchie de Laet, Yohan Benalouane, Marcin Wasilewski and Nathan Dyer, Ranieri signalled his intentions to progress the fourth round.
Whereas, Tottenham also called on the likes of Michel Vorm, Kieran Trippier, Kevin Wimmer, Danny Rose, Nacer Chadli, Josh Onomah and Heung Min-Son in what was a much different line-up to that seen in the Lilywhites' 1-1 draw with Everton last weekend.
Spurs quick out the traps
As it happened, it didn't take long for the home side to assume control of the match. Dominating possession from the early stages, they looked a class above the visiting Foxes. As a matter of fact, it only took them eight first-half minutes to open the scoring.
Following a powerful shot from Josh Onomah, Kasper Schmeichel parried the ball straight into the path of his Danish compatriot Christian Eriksen. With a low right-footed drive, the former Ajax man powered the ball home into the bottom-right corner and gave his jubilant manager an early lead at White Hart Lane.
The comeback kings
Nevertheless, it didn't take too long for Ranieri's team to live up to their affectionate title. Earning the first corner of the game in the 18th minute, the Foxes looked to cause problems for an otherwise so-far untroubled Spurs' defence. It was debutant Demarai Gray that whipped a great ball into the box and rising higher than anybody was Polish defender Marcin Wasilewski.
Scoring his second goal for the club, the 35-year-old former Anderlecht man powered a header into the net from the front post and reeled away in understandable delight. Straight away, the game seemed like a cracking cup tie in North London.
Having said that, bar a few speculative long-range drives from the likes of Gray, Dier and Chadli that were either dealt with well or bobbled wide, the first period didn't really follow the pattern of the first 20 minutes. As a result, the two Premier League high-flyers went into the break level.
The Tinkerman triumphs
In a surprising move after the interval, Foxes' boss Claudio Ranieri replaced midfielder N'Golo Kante with Japanese international striker Shinji Okazaki and it immediately paid dividends for the Midlanders.
Latching onto a quick through-ball from Andy King, the experienced striker showed dazzling feet to wriggle through the Spurs defence. Having seen his original shot saved by the goalkeeper, the former Mainz 05 forward showed good reactions and poked the ball into the net with his left foot (with help from the upright) to send the away contingent into raptures.
In fact, amidst flowing football from the home-side (in which they easily could have drawn level had it been for a more powerful shot from Nacer Chadli only a few yards from goal), the Foxes could even have stretched their lead. Breaking forward from the half-way line, Argentine striker Leonardo Ulloa held off numerous challenges from defenders and looked to put the Tottenham back-line under more pressure.
Laying the ball off to the speedy Nathan Dyer, the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion marksman demanded the ball back but the on-loan Swansea winger looked to test Michel Vorm. Unluckily, his shot just bounced wide of the far post.
It was then debutant Demarai Gray's turn to have a go at the goalkeeper. Given room to run down the left-wing, the impressive 19-year-old cut inside and curled a shot just wide of the Tottenham goal before being substituted with Marc Albrighton to affectionate applause from his new supporters.
Pressure builds
Still reeling from Leicester's recovery, Mauricio Pochettino brought out the big guns to try and haul Spurs level and force a replay at the King Power Stadium. Introducing Harry Kane and Dele Alli to the encapsulating cup tie, the home side attempted to make their considerable possession advantage count.
Looking for an equaliser, the likes of Nabil Bentaleb and the aforementioned Alli tested Schmeichel's resolve in the closing stages but the Foxes held firm. That was until Nathan Dyer inexplicably handled the ball inside the area. Pointing to the spot, Robert Madley awarded the Lilywhites an extremely late penalty as the away side protested.
Stepping up and placing the ball was former Foxes striker Harry Kane. Holding his nerve, the young Englishman powered the ball into the left-hand side of the net and hauled his side level (also scoring his fifth goal against his former club). As a result, the 22-year-old notched his 50th goal for his boyhood team in the 89th minute of play.
So, with only moments to go, the home side were luckily level and that is how it finished. The two sides will now lock horns in a replay in the East Midlands after meeting in the Premier League on Wednesday night.