Today's pre season match saw FA Cup winners Leicester City face SkyBet Championship side Queens Park Rangers at the Kiyan Prince Foundation StadiumQPR have started their pre season confidently with 3 wins, including a 4-2 win against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United. The Foxes would look to find their first win of their pre season campaign today.

Harvey Barnes Return

Following on from last nights announcement about Marc Albrighton's contract extension, further positive news arose when Brendan Roger's released the XI. Harvey Barnes was set to make his return to football since his injury set back against Arsenal in February. Youri Tielemans was also an addition to the team sheet, following his return from Euro 2020. No James Maddison featured in today's squad, but it was another opportunity to see the new signings Boubakary Soumare and Ryan Bertrand. Ayoze Perez was also named in the XI for the first time this season.

Jamie Vardy captained Leicester again and it was the Foxes who started brightly, with an early chance stemming from constant pressure from Tielemans, who couldn't quite get a clinical shot away. QPR fought back and pressed Eldin Jakupovic well, which nearly led to a chance, however Wesley Fofana was their to intercept calmly. 

Working well with Bertrand, Barnes received the ball and confidently carried it up the pitch. He played the ball out to Perez, who could not pick Vardy out with his cross. Moments later, QPR broke at pace and Chris Willock had a chance, but Jakupovic saved comfortably. Caglar Soyuncu was  also there to clear the ball, as QPR continued to drive towards Leicester's box.

Half an hour into the game, the Foxes began to make their way back into the game, with a pin-point pass from Soumare who picked out Vardy accurately. He set himself well with a header to knock the ball down, but could not get his shot on target.  

Wilfred Ndidi, Soumare and Tielemans began to control the game with accurate passes through to Vardy. Seny Dieng kept brilliant concentration to come out and put a stop to an excellent goal scoring opportunity. 

In the 45th minute, Charlie Austin broke the deadlock and finished off a fantastic sequence of passing from Moses Odubajo and Ilias Chair. The hosts led going into half time.

Captain Vardy got the half underway, with Leicester looking to get back into the game swiftly. Harvey Barnes was the first player to make way and was replaced by Albrighton, after a very positive return. 9 substitutions followed.

QPR started where they left off, with a powerful shot from Willock arrowed towards the top corner, only to be denied by the wood work. 2 minutes later, Yoann Barbet headed the ball from close range and  squeezed it past Jakupovic to make it 2-0.

15 minutes from the end, QPR's two goal advantage dropped to one. Kieran Dewsbury-Hall started a good move playing the ball to Patson Daka who battled hard to retain possession in the penalty area. After anticipating the ball smartly, Dewsbury-Hall was there to hammer the ball in and make it 2-1.

Clawing that goal back sparked a brilliant turn around for the Foxes, who quickly added to their first goal through new striker Daka. Using his electric pace, Daka got onto the end of an excellent pass from Albrighton and calmly slotted the ball away. Two goals in three minutes for the visitors!

QPR continued to battle and won an important corner in the 82nd minute. A precise delivery led to a header, which crashed onto the post and Rob Dickie was the quickest to react, which gave the lead back to the hosts. Set pieces continue to be a thorn in Leicester's side.

Hope was not lost for the Foxes, as Daka used his blistering pace again, to get on to the end of Luke Thomas' pass and beat the keeper to win a penalty in the 88th minute. Kelechi Iheanacho, who missed his spot kick against Burton Albion, converted coolly from the spot, firing straight down the middle.

Neither team could find a winning goal in the final few minutes and the game finished 3-3. It was an entertaining fixture which saw Dewsbury-Hall and Daka's first goals for Leicester City. A lot of positives to take into the Foxes' final pre season game at home against Villarreal on Wednesday 4th August, before they take on Manchester City in the FA Community Shield.

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