Jamie Vardy scored one penalty and missed another as Leicester went top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Wolves at the King Power Stadium.Vardy converted from the spot following a contentious call that Max Kilman had handled Dennis Praet’s cross, which referee Anthony Taylor only awarded after checking the VAR review monitor.- Advertisement – How Leicester kept up fine form to go topEyebrows may have been raised when Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo claimed Wolves were not in ‘great form’ despite a run of 10 points from four games – but his side did not look like a team with the wind in their sails at the King Power Stadium.They remained resolute defensively up until Kilman was harshly ruled to have handled Praet’s cross when Taylor checked the VAR monitor, allowing Vardy to smash the ball beyond Patricio from 12 yards. But the visitors did struggle to hold onto possession and saw barely five per cent of the ball in the Leicester third before the break. Player ratingsLeicester: Schmeichel (7), Fofana (8), Evans (7), Fuchs (7), Justin (7), Mendy (6), Tielemans (7), Thomas (5), Praet (7), Maddison (7), Vardy (7).- Advertisement – Subs: Albrighton (6), Barnes (6), Morgan (n/a).Wolves: Patricio (7), Kilman (6), Coady (6), Boly (6), Semedo (6), Dendoncker (5), Neves (6), Ait-Nouri (5), Podence (6), Jimenez (6), Neto (6).Subs: Traore (6), Marcal (6), Silva (6).- Advertisement – Man of the match: Wesley Fofana. 3:35
A more clear-cut decision gave Vardy the chance to double Leicester’s lead before half-time against an out-of-sorts Wolves when Rayan Ait-Nouri wiped out James Justin, but Rui Patricio guessed right to keep out his poor spot kick and keep the visitors in contention before half-time.Their second-half performance showed more attacking threat with Pedro Neto and Ruben Neves testing Kasper Schmeichel, but the Foxes, who could have secured victory late on through Harvey Barnes, saw out the game to go top of the Premier League, at least until Liverpool took on Manchester City on Super Sunday. Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers says he’s very proud of his team after their 1-0 win over Wolves saw the Foxes reach the top of the Premier League table. The visitors’ habit of second-half revivals was again realised following a Santo team talk, but not before Youri Tielemans had nodded a presentable chance wide within a minute of the restart, and Vardy had seen a dipping effort from wide palmed over.Leicester then needed a superb sliding block from Wesley Fofana to deny Daniel Podence a chance to tap home an equaliser when Nelson Semedo found space on the wing, before Neto powered an effort straight at Kasper Schmeichel, who did well to hold onto it.Wolves still struggled to create clear chances until Leander Dendoncker volleyed just wide from Marcal’s raking pass, before Neves – searching for his first league goal in more than a year – was kept out by a superb Schmeichel stop.Still Leicester carried a threat and nearly sealed three points when substitute Harvey Barnes’ goalbound effort was deflected over by Kilman’s vital block, and despite some late pressure from Wolves, the hosts’ hopes of going top were never seriously threatened.What the managers said… Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers: “I think it’s the best win of the three this week. With so many players out and such a tough schedule, it was an incredible performance. We had to show a different side to the team today. I thought first half we were very good in our football, some of the quality of combinations, how we got through Wolves and into dangerous areas was very good, and we should have been maybe more than 1-0 up.On going top: “It’s been an incredible start, I’m so happy for the players. It’s important in any season your first steps are positives, and with all players available it would’ve been really good, but for the players we’ve had out for the guys to show that quality and resilience, it’s what you want as a manager.” Wolves’ boss Nuno Espirito Santo wants VAR to be more consistent with decisions after Max Kilman’s handball gave Leicester a penalty that turned out to be the winner. Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo: “Leicester started better than us, that led to the situation of the penalties. As the game went by we improved, the second half we were much, much better. We caused situations, produced situations requiring better finishing.“I haven’t seen the images of the penalty. It’s very hard to judge the work of the referees, VAR saw it, Anthony saw it on the screen, but inside it’s difficult to coach a player and tell him he must put his arms away that will create unbalance. It’s very hard, what we want from situations is good and fair decisions.“Week in, week out we see different things. Until they get it right, we’ll be talking about it over and over again, something we don’t want. We have enough problems in football to be suspicious about anything, I don’t want to think about that.”Man of the match – Wesley FofanaBrendan Rodgers made clear he needed defensive reinforcements in the summer and in the shape of Wesley Fofana, it looks like he’s got them.It’s still early days for the 19-year-old, but he looks mature beyond his years at the heart of Leicester’s back three, and with three tackles, two interceptions – a Leicester high – and as many passes in the opposition half as wing-back James Justin across the 90 minutes, showed exactly what Rodgers wants.“Today again he showed he’s strong, aggressive, and has that class on the ball,” he told his post-match press conference. “He made one recovery challenge which was unbelievable. He’s a big talent, we’re delighted with him, he’s loved his start here. He’s been very good.”Opta factsLeicester have won 18 points in their opening eight Premier League games (W6 L2), their best ever start to a top-flight season and best start to a season since winning 19 points in their first eight games in 2008/09 in League One.Wolves have won none of their four away Premier League matches against Leicester (D2 L2), failing to score in every match.Leicester have won their last six matches in all competitions, scoring 15 goals and conceding just twice.Leicester’s Jamie Vardy has scored 23 of the 28 penalties he has taken in the Premier League (82%) and has scored more penalties than any other player since the start of the 2014/15 season.Leicester City have scored seven penalties in the Premier League this season, four more than any other side. The Foxes have been awarded eight so far in 2020/21, the earliest in a campaign a team has ever been awarded as many as eight penalties; the previous earliest was Man Utd last season (16th game).What’s next?Leicester travel to Liverpool after the international break on November 21; Kick-off at 3pm. If they win at Anfield, they will be guaranteed to end the weekend top of the Premier League.Wolves’ next game, at the same time, is at home to Southampton. 2:32 Even so, for all the Foxes’ territory, their only two shots on target before half-time both came from the spot, with Ait-Nouri’s ill-judged lunge on Justin after a poor touch from the Wolves defender giving Vardy the chance to step up from 12 yards again. This time, he went the other way, with Patricio guessing right to keep out a poor spot kick.Wolves were stung into life by that reprieve for the final six minutes of the first period, albeit without testing Kasper Schmeichel, and left Leicester – who looked likely to enjoy a two-goal cushion only minutes earlier – relieved to hear the half-time whistle.
– Advertisement – Team newsLeicester welcomed back Jonny Evans from injury, with James Maddison also returning.Wolves were unchanged after picking up 10 points from their previous four games.
Image:Rui Patricio saved Vardy’s second penalty
Northern Ireland face a major defensive headache for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Portugal with Aaron Hughes and Ryan McGivern potentially joining the list of absentees for the match. Boss Michael O’Neill was already without left-back Daniel Lafferty due to suspension and saw centre-back Craig Cathcart withdraw from the squad on Sunday with a knee injury. Former captain Hughes, who has been playing right-back in this campaign, hurt his groin in the closing stages of Fulham’s Barclays Premier League clash against Newcastle and stayed an extra day in London for treatment. He is expected to arrive in Belfast later on Wednesday but his chances of making the Portugal clash are not thought to be good. Hibernian defender McGivern, who was expected to replace Lafferty on the left of defence, has a knock and did not train on Wednesday morning. If Hughes is ruled out it would mean three of the back four from the 1-0 win over Russia – Lafferty and Cathcart the others – are missing on Friday. The likely return of Manchester United’s Jonny Evans alongside Gareth McAuley at centre-half would ease that blow somewhat, but improvisations may need to be made elsewhere. Uncapped Kilmarnock left-back Rory McKeown is one alternative, as is Hull’s Alex Bruce – who can play across the back four – while Shane Ferguson could be asked to move back from his usual midfield position. O’Neill is also understood to be pondering a call-up for Chris Baird, an experienced international who has been left out having failed to agree a deal since his release by Fulham at the end of last season.
Press Association
IRFU performance director David Nucifora said: ” Devin has developed into an international level second-row over the last few seasons. “He has performed consistently at a high level for both Ireland and Leinster, and is illustrating strong leadership skills in both the provincial and national environments.” Toner added: “I t is great to have signed on for another two years with Leinster. “I have been with the province for almost a decade and during that time the club have invested a lot in my development and have given me the platform to reach my potential and achieve success at both provincial and national level.” Leinster forward Devin Toner has signed a two-year contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union. Press Association
The IRFU said that 20 times-capped Toner’s new deal will see him remain at Leinster until at least June 2017. The 28-year-old made his Test debut against Samoa in 2010.
The Latest: Turkish volleyball league canceled The federation says that is the first condition stipulated by government authorities to allow the Portuguese league and the Portuguese Cup to resume as planned by the end of the month.The federation says the league, clubs and players at all times “assume the risk of infection” and “bear the responsibility” of all possible consequences related to the disease and to “the risk for public health.”The federation says it received a set of conditions from the government on Sunday.The government recently said it would allow the league and the cup to resume on May 30. The second division was canceled.___ Associated Press Spanish league president Javier Tebas hopes to restart the league on June 12.___The head of Japanese baseball says the 12-team league is hoping to start play next month but no specific date has been set.Japan is living under a state of emergency that is in effect until May 31.Commissioner Atsushi Saito says “I don’t think anyone can make preparations by setting a specific opening day.” Saito says the All-Star game in July has been canceled for the first time since it was initially held almost 70 years ago. The Japanese season was originally scheduled to open on March 20.Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University professor Mitsuo Kaku says it would be difficult to set a date for the season to start with the state of emergency still in effect.Baseball has begun in Taiwan and South Korea in empty stadiums.___The Portuguese soccer federation says the league, clubs and players must take responsibility for the consequences of the return to soccer in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to return to Italy to spend two weeks in quarantine ahead of the potential return of the Serie A season with AC Milan.He leaves behind plenty of questions in his native Sweden.Ibrahimovic has been keeping up his fitness by training with Hammarby. He bought a nearly 25% stake in the Stockholm-based club last year in his first move into soccer ownership. The striker practiced with the men’s and women’s teams and played in a training match because Sweden is not under strict lockdown measures during the coronavirus pandemic.The 38-year-old Ibrahimovic could return to the club as a player in the final years of his career.Milan and most of the other Italian league clubs resumed training on an individual basis last week before full team training restarts next Monday. Turkish Volleyball Federation president Mehmet Akif Ustundag says no team will be declared champion and no team will be relegated.He says “the men’s and women’s leagues have been registered as they stand.”Turkey suspended all league games on March 20 but the country’s soccer federation announced last week it plans to resume games on June 12 and host the Champions League final in Istanbul in August.___Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and third-ranked Karolina Pliskova will lead teams in a tennis charity event during the coronavirus pandemic.
Share This StoryFacebookTwitteremailPrintLinkedinRedditThe Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Turkish volleyball league has been canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pliskova’s team will include her twin sister Kristyna, 2019 French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova, Tereza Martincova and Nikola Bartunkova.Kvitova will be joined in her squad by Barbora Strycova, Katerina Siniakova, Barbora Krejcikova, Linda Fruhvirtova and Russian player Ekaterina Alexandrova.Pliskova says “it’s a great opportunity for us to play a unique tournament.”The first of the four tournaments that are part of the competition is scheduled for June 13-15 in Prague.___ May 11, 2020 Real Madrid has become the latest Spanish league club to resume individual training.Players were back in action at the team’s training center two months after the league was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.Most clubs had already resumed individual sessions. Barcelona restarted on Friday and Atlético Madrid on Saturday.All players were tested for COVID-19 before being allowed to practice.The league says five players on first- and second-division clubs have tested positive. Three staff members have also tested positive. ___More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports,Tampa Bay Lightning advance to face Dallas Stars in Stanley Cup finals, beating New York Islanders 2-1 in OT in Game 6
K-State Research and Extension-Sumner County is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time office professional. Â Applicants need computer skills and financial bookkeeping skills. Â Applications are available at 320 N. Jefferson, Wellington and will be accepted until the position is filled. Â K-State Research and Extension-Sumner County is an equal opportunity provider and employer.The following link is the Sumner County Extension website where you will find the Office Professional Job Description followed by the Application for Employment: Â Â www.sumner.ksu.edu.